Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (107 page)

CHAPTER 38

A Ticket Out of Here

WITH THE GODS NOW GONE, George finished burying the pieces of the Crystal Moon behind the pedestal. As he stood, he patted the top of the podium and looked beyond it at the blood-stained area of earth where the Scorpion King had torn apart Shalee’s friend. The memory of how Shalee called out Helga’s name kept playing in his mind again and again, and the more he allowed himself to think about it, the more his actions bothered him.

After a long series of moments, George sighed. The mage spoke to the spot where the older sorceress had been ended as he walked toward it. “I’m truly sorry, Helga. I cannot express to you how sorry I am.”

A fair series of moments passed before George continued. “But the thing about your situation is ... and I mean no offense when I say this ... but my Abbie had to be more important than you. Hell ... she’s more important than anyone. I just couldn’t risk my life for somebody I didn’t know. You had to be a smart woman, right? I’m sure you can understand that what I did wasn’t personal.”

George made sure his tone was sincere, and he even nodded as he held up his hands in a pleading manner to deliver his next statement. “I’m sure you can understand that everything that happened was for the purpose of getting my Abbie back.”

Hearing his own logic, George frowned. “Holy garesh! I sound like a prick. Damn it, Helga!” The mage bent down and placed his right hand on the spot where Helga’s torso was pulverized. “Perhaps on some other Peak I would’ve found a way to stop him.”

Ignoring the uncleanliness of his surroundings, George lowered to his rear end. He bent his knees and wrapped his arms around them. “I’ll promise you this. If ever an opportunity presents itself to pay you back in another life, I swear I’ll do it. No one should ever have to pass the way you did. My lack of action was inexcusable. Only a sad-ass individual would allow a woman to die like that.” A true caring sentiment consumed George as he placed his right hand over his heart and cried for a fair series of moments.

But true to form, the jerk eventually allowed his remorse to turn to scorn. “What the hell, Helga? What were you doing here in the first place?” The mage stood and kicked a blood-stained rock with the toe of his left boot. He watched as the stone rolled beyond the entrance of the corridor and struck the wall across the hallway. The rock settled into a pile of scorpion garesh. “Stupid woman!”

Kepler decided to add to the conversation. “George, it’s comforting to know that you have a conscience. This will make you a stronger leader and a more reliable companion. Never allow your regret to destroy a sentiment as pure as the one you just expressed. Own your emotions, and use them to become a territorial force. Regret will only hold you back if you don’t learn from it.”

Kepler’s openness surprised George. “Damn, Kep, you’re like an onion. If I peel you back far enough, I just might find a good guy inside.”

The cat would have responded, but Koffler’s grating voice filled the labyrinth corridor from the shadows. “What’s an onion?”

Though Keller and Kepler also did not know what an onion was, they growled, “Shut up, Koffler!”

George grinned. His next statement was followed with a wink. “Thanks for being so cool, Kep. I would’ve never guessed that I’d be taking advice from a giant kitty.”

Once the demons were finished snarling their distaste for the mage’s attempt at humor, George asked the jaguars to gather around him. He then used his magic to ensure the cats were invisible. Once they were touching one another, he teleported with the group to a familiar spot outside the city of Champions. They made their way to a raucous, hole-in-the-wall tavern, and this would be their last stop of the night. A group of Brandorian soldiers were celebrating their friend’s last night as a single man.

George noticed that the future groom happened to be an officer in Sam’s army. The mage smiled, and then he delivered a similar performance like he had inside The Bloody Trough, but he did make a significant change. He had Kepler and his brothers pin everyone against a wall. Amongst the cats’ snarls, the mage professed to his frightened audience that he was going to hide the two pieces of the Crystal Moon in the Serpent King’s lair. His declaration was as good as gold.

Before George left the tavern, he turned the groom to stone, and then he threatened the dead man’s friends who were as highly ranked. Once the mage was sure his message about the crystal pieces would get to Sam, he leaned over and whispered in Kepler’s ear. “Kill everyone, but let two of Sam’s men escape. Meet me outside when you’re done.”

As George sat on the heavy, wooden railing of the porch, he listened to the sounds of death that came from inside. Moments later, the two survivors burst through the door and bounded down the steps with Keller close behind. After chasing them down the road a bit, the demon stopped. Once the blood-soaked cats finished feasting, George teleported the group south of Bloodvain before the guards of Champion arrived.

George commanded, “Keller, go into the city and deliver a message. Tell Senchae that I want him to mobilize the army and head west into the Neutral Territory. From there, he needs to march the army south and stop just north of the Serpent King’s city and set up camp. The army needs to mobilize before morning. I want Sam’s scouts to think Senchae is after the crystals. Let’s hope Sam takes the bait and takes his army to the serpent’s doorstep.”

The mage reached into his pocket and produced a blank piece of parchment. He used his magic to project his thoughts onto the page. “Take this note to Senchae. If you forget anything, it’s all here.” George rolled the parchment up and tied it to the demon’s neck. “Hurry! Once you return, we’ll go to Athena’s. We’ll sleep through the Peak and go to Angels Village tomorrow night. We have a lot of work to do over the next 9 Peaks.”

When the group finally arrived in Lethwitch, George called out for Athena as if it was any other night. “Honey, I’m home.”

Athena ran into the room and jumped into his arms. “Oh, I’ve missed you. How long are you here for?”

“I’ve got to leave tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a while, but I should be able to put the family together real soon. You won’t have to work if you don’t want to. Your family can come with us as well.”

Athena hugged him, “Where will we be living?”

George took a deep breath. “In City View. I think you’ll love it there. So will the family.”

Athena gasped. “That city is full of barbarians. What about our safety?” She cupped her hand over her mouth. “What about our baby’s safety? My family won’t want to go.”

“There’s no reason to worry. I’m respected throughout the barbarian kingdom for the work I do. No one will harm us. We will be safe, and so will the family.”

Athena shook her head. “I’ll follow you anywhere, as promised, but I won’t ask my family to.”

“You don’t need to ask anyone to do anything, honey. I’ll talk to them. I’m sure they’ll want to come. I’ve got everything under control. Have I ever let you down?”

“Of course, not. I trust you.” She led George into their bedroom.

After a good while, George lay back, exhausted. He pulled Athena close and allowed his mind to wander.
If Sam believes my deception, war won’t extend as far east as City View,
he thought.
Although I don’t want Lethwitch to see war either, my face will draw attention around here. I know Athena would rather stay, but I think it’s impossible to live here.

He scratched the top of his head.
Maybe I’ll talk to Lasidious about it and see what he thinks. I better not leave the house until I know more.

It was just before the Peak of Bailem when George’s mind settled down enough that he was able to fall asleep. Kepler and his brothers were hidden in the Enchanted Forest, and he was not scheduled to meet with them until dusk the following Peak.

The City of Brandor

The Next Morning

BJ wanted to find a spot on the western coast of the peninsula to light the pyre to celebrate Helga’s passing. His heart was heavy. He had loved Helga more than any other.

BJ was about to leave with Helga’s body on the back of Sam’s royal wagon when the king and queen approached. Sam and Shalee were scheduled to leave for Cottle. They had promised to attend the Passing Ceremonies of the men who had perished on Scorpion Island, and they had tried to convince BJ to wait until they returned to light Helga’s pyre, but the advisor refused to comply. He insisted that he had no choice but to light Helga’s fire immediately.

“BJ, would you like me to stay behind?” Shalee asked.

BJ shook his head. “No. I want to be alone.”

When the queen tried to object, Sam touched her on the forearm. “Just let him go. It’ll be good for him to get this off his chest. He needs to begin the healing process as quickly as possible so he can be ready.”

A confused look appeared on Shalee’s face. “Ready for what?”

The king looked at BJ. “You need to move beyond Helga’s passing as quickly as you can. I need you to have a clear head. I know I sound callous right now, but you know we’ve got to do what’s best for this kingdom, and as my advisor, you need to be ready for anything.”

BJ did not respond. The disdain on his face said everything he wanted to curse at Sam. His actions were filled with hostility as he climbed up onto the wagon and snatched the reins. “Yaw!”

After watching the wagon until it was out of sight, Shalee wiped the tears from her face and nestled into Sam’s chest. “Do you think he’ll be alright?” she sobbed. “I know how he feels. I’m sick to death about all this.”

Sam nodded, “He’s a tough, old guy. He’ll be alright.”

As BJ passed through the city gates, he kept the hood of his cloak over his head to hide the tears that would not stop rolling down his face. The wagon held Helga’s coffin on one side and the wood for her pyre on the other. This was the second series of moments in which BJ had to say goodbye to a woman he had cared for. The problem was, with Helga, his heart was destroyed, and he was lost. His previous relationship did not have the passion they had shared. His sorrow was unbearable, and he would travel for as long as it took to find the perfect spot that complemented his lost love’s beauty.

When BJ finally jumped down from the wagon, he made his final assessment. The sand of the beach was white and clean. The waves rolled onto the shore, adding a sense of peace that BJ knew Helga would have enjoyed. The trees sat back from the shoreline, creating an alcove of privacy, and within this alcove, there were two boulders that sat close to one another—the perfect place to light her fire.

As he lifted the wood off the wagon, BJ’s heart became heavier with each step. Never had he felt so overcome with sadness. He longed for his love to return and claim that an evil jest had been played. It consumed his thoughts as he stacked the wood the way that Helga deserved. He would not settle for anything less than perfection, but he was losing more of himself with the adjustment of each piece, and his heart was falling into a pit that he would struggle to crawl out of.

When the moment came to move Helga’s coffin, BJ read from a scroll that Shalee had created. The magic released and gave him the strength to carry the coffin from the wagon to the pile and set it in position. He made sure it was centered, adjusting it on a hundred different occasions before he achieved the perfect placement.

With dusk approaching, BJ looked toward the sunset as it cast a beautiful array of color into the darkening sky. This would be the last series of moments that he could share with Helga. The urge to hold her for one last moment as the sun descended behind the horizon pulled at him.

He rushed to the wagon to grab an iron bar. He used it to break open the lock that secured the lid of the coffin. He lifted the latch, not knowing that his love lay torn apart inside.

Unsure if this was the right thing to do, BJ paused as he dropped the latch back in place.
Perhaps it’s best to leave her alone,
he thought.
But how can I pass on the opportunity to show her my love?

It was not long before BJ convinced himself that Helga would have enjoyed the idea of being held one last moment before he lit her fire. He lifted the lid and looked inside expecting to find Helga’s peaceful face, but what he found was his worst nightmare. Seeing Helga’s mutilated pieces, his expression turned from one full of passion to one of horror and excruciating agony.

BJ took a step back from the coffin. He fell off the stack and onto the beach. He crawled to his feet and then ran as fast as he could to get away from the nightmare. He collapsed into the waves, lifted his head to the heavens and screamed, cursing the gods for stealing his happiness, cursing Sam for allowing Helga to go into the face of danger, cursing Shalee for not being there when Helga needed her most. And finally, he cursed himself for letting his love go on a fool’s quest.

A long series of moments passed before BJ stood to retrieve his dagger. He lit a torch and grabbed a container of oil. He poured the liquid over the wood beneath the coffin, but only enough to allow the fire to grow slowly. He then cleared a place next to Helga and lay down inside the coffin next to her mutilated pieces.

With the torch in his left hand, he plunged his dagger into his stomach with his right and then lifted the blade as much as he could toward his sternum. After dropping the torch onto the wood below, BJ closed his eyes and waited for the open wound to end his life, but the flames spread much quicker than he had anticipated. In his grief stricken and confused state, BJ had used too much oil.

BJ’s eyes had not yet closed forever before the intense heat consumed the coffin. His horrific screams filled the night before his soul left for the Book of Immortality’s pages.

George Meets the Minotaur King

George spent four and a half Peaks putting his plans in motion, and Kepler was instrumental in their execution. George realized the moments to bring war to the Serpent King’s kingdom were few.