Dark Wish (The Starlight Gods Series Book 1) Page 32

  I saw the anger storming in his red eyes as he made his declaration, the gust of wind doubling in size. I dropped to the ground, my body skidding, as I tried to stop myself from moving backwards.

  “FUCK! MARCUS! ELIAS!”

  I looked over my shoulder, my eyes growing wide as I noticed Elias skid over the edge, Marcus grasping his hand, holding him from dropping down into the lava.

  “STOP! No! I’ll return to you! I’ll do anything. Don’t kill them!” I begged, my frantic eyes returning to face the Owner as I plunged my hands and feet into the crumbling grey soil, attempting to steady myself from the waves of wind pushing against me.

  The thought of freedom quickly faded at the sign of the guys struggling to stay on the edge of the cliff.

  “Why nonsense, Midnight. This is your punishment. The same way I punished that pathetic phoenix shifter when Mako participated in that little escape attempt long ago, is the same way I’ll punish your friends. I’d love to rid them of their existence at a much slower pace, but due to circumstance, I’ll make it quick on your behalf. Now sit there and watch. That’s the least you can do for your apparent saviours.” He chuckled as the gust of wind escalated in speed.

  I returned my gaze to the boys, Daniel struggling to hold Marcus as Ryder dug his feet into the ground, gritting his teeth as he tried to hold their weight from falling.

  “Farewell pathetic shifters. Next time you come to the world, you’ll think twice to go against me, Blair Aspen, King of Latelia.” He declared, his eyes glowing red. A blast of light released from his hand, aiming straight for the boys.

  I screamed as it crashed before them, the ground crumbling. I reached out, as if such a gesture would stop their slow descent, their figures disappearing as they fell to their demise, into the lava below.

  Everyone, NOW!

  The lava jumped high in the sky, the rocks reaching their surface, plunging in the hot dense liquid, my knights following pursuit.

  I watched silently, waiting for them to jump out or fly into the sky in defiance. The seconds past, the remaining crumble falling into the lava. The wind vanished, completing its caster’s duty as silence followed. Gone…

  A laugh echoed, the same haunting heart-wrenching sound I recalled from long ago. I stood up slowly, my shaking legs taking a step forward.

  I stumbled forward, my hands trembling as tears stung my eyes. My knees buckled as I fell to the ground. I began to crawl forward, needing to see for my own eyes. They can’t be gone.

  Before I reached the edge, four bursts of light emerged from the cavern of lava; purple, blue, green and gold streams of lights soaring into the pitch-black sky, vanishing from sight.

  “Behold! They have perished, those hideous spirits ascending to their gods. Now you understand, little fox. Freedom only brings you pain. Your little moment of freedom has made you a fool. Just as it made you a fool the first time you tried to escape me. Now, return to my side and we’ll be on our way.” He cheered.

  I continued to stare at the pitch-black sky before I began to cough uncontrollably. I wiped my lip, blood smearing on my left hand, the rainbow – coloured marking catching my attention. I watched it glow, the beautiful swirls of colour bringing peace within my broken soul. I wobbled to my feet, walking towards the edge.

  “What are you doing Midnight? They’re DEAD! You saw it! Peering over the edge will only contribute to your suffering. Come here.” He boasted.

  I ignored him, reaching the edge to look down. I watched the lava flowing widely, my eyes catching a twinkle. A white string.

  I turned around slowly, spitting out the pool of blood that formed in my mouth. My body felt cold, my remaining strength seeping out of me as my spirit’s powers abandoned me one by one.

  Lexi entered my mind, the last of my spirits to remain awake.

  “Whatever happens…we love you Midnight. Just as we love Makoto. I thank the Starlight gods for giving me the privilege to be your spirit. You did good.” Lexi’s soft voice whispered, filled with pride.

  “Thank you, for accepting me. I…love you too.” I replied, peace flowing through me.

  I looked up towards our Owner, the man who stole our childhood away. The King who wanted revenge, Blair Aspen. I’d follow every order and command. I committed many sins, killing many shifters thanks to his cruel ways. I vowed to fight, till the very end. I would not fall back on my word now.

  “You’re right. Being free does make you dumb at times. But knowledge and experiences help you grow. The happiness I’ve gained, the courage that blossoms within me, it’s far more than I could have ever asked from the gods. I promised to do good. So, I’ll do one final good deed. If I can prevent myself from becoming a tool of destruction…from killing anyone else, I shall. Farewell, my master…my creator. I rather stay a fool till my dying breathe, than stay with the likes of you.” I declared.

  I spread my hands out wide, tears sliding down my cheeks as I smiled.

  I could taste the blood as my heart slowed, the small amount of magic left within me coursing through me. I closed my eyes slowly, as I lifted my head in prayer.

  “Lexinalla, my beloved dragon. Release thy shackles and transform to your true form. My body is but a vessel for you to use and explore. This is my dying wish; I ask for nothing else in return. Fulfill my request as I fall to the darkness below. May you and my fellow spirits ascend home. Thank you, Starlight gods, for all you have bestowed upon me. Forgive my misdeeds, as I ascend to you for judgement. I’ll face my sentence with honour, as I leave this life behind. In stars, we trust.”

  I allowed my body to fall backwards, my conscious fading into the darkness. The last sound I heard was a loud roar, my name echoing through the sky as I fell to my demise. No one would save me this time. It was up to the gods to determine my fate.

  As the scriptures foretold, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

  All I felt was peace, as the quote echoed through my empty mind. I had completed my task, and would never forget what my spirits had done. My conscious faded away, my essence returning to the darkness; my birth and resting place.

  I couldn’t keep my promise. Sorry Ryder…farewell Elias.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  ~B.A~

  I stood in silence; waiting.

  My heart beating loudly against my chest, the blood rushing to my ears, the drumming noise making me more anxious. I wouldn't allow such a plot to frighten me.

  Seconds turned to minutes, as I continued to remain still. It must be a prank, a method to fool me into thinking she was actually dead. If it wasn't for Jeffrey’s surveillance of her the last two months, keeping a wary eye on her progress, I wouldn’t have known such an opportunity would arise. Sometimes a parent had to watch from afar, allowing their child to enjoy their moment of bliss before hitting them with reality.

  I was only going to allow her to be away for a week or two, locating her at that bloody academy within three days of the invasion. That royal in Realm Nine had delayed me, the meeting that should have taken a few days extended to rotations. After all these cycles, he was still caught up in politics, as opposed to looking at the full picture. As long as you had power, it didn’t matter who ruled. You could simply take control of everything.

  How it boiled my blood to see my home destroyed, from top to bottom; these knights stealing all my records and burning my building down, nothing left behind to show my cycles of progress.

  Thankfully, I kept a copy of all my records with me at all times, just in case for such circumstances.

  I knew the day I stole Rosalina away from Arthur, I could never be too careful. I had to be cautious in all areas, especially with that child. What made her so special? Simply because she was blessed by that dreadful Goddess, Nightmare.

  I despised the Starlight gods. They were the reason why I was in this position, the reason why I was struggling in this forsaken world. So, wh
at of my wrong doings? What happened to forgive and forget.

  Of course, this Goddess was haunting me, her and the other gods making sure to keep their promise for my life to never receive happiness and prosperity.

  I pulled out of my thought as the time continued to tick by. I could hear my black wrist watch tick away; my negligence being rewarded, as reality finally began to sink into my soul. She was gone.

  I wouldn't accept this; it must be a mistake, a prank, anything but the truth that began to plague my mind. Her spirits hadn't ascended yet.

  She must be down there somewhere, maybe creating a spell to allow her body to survive the extreme temperatures of the lava below. Maybe those knight shifters taught her a way to survive, to camouflage herself so she could escape from my clutches, yet again.

  I could feel the panic sinking into my bones, unable to move forward even with the nagging emotions that swam through me; the need to see if she was still alive or if I'd truly lost her. I was destined for eternal unhappiness, anything I cared about always being stolen from me.

  It started with my beloved wife, dying during child birth. I tried to hate my only son, to blame him for stealing my wife away from me, but as I watched him grow older, his bright blue eyes reminded me of my Amelia; I couldn't bring myself to resent him.

  He grew into a fine young man; his demon spirit as strong as me. He was my pride and joy and would do anything to please me. When I told him about my plans, to find a way to make him the strongest in the galaxy, he didn't hesitate.

  The Royals escalated this war. But I had begun it long before they realized what was happening. No one could see the Starlight gods for what they really were. Liars. Cruel. Uncaring. So, I proved it by beginning my experiments, kidnapping shifters from different realms without the Royals noticing, but the Starlight gods knew what I was doing, yet they did nothing.

  They were proving me right by watching from the sideline and not intervening. But when the Royals discovered what was happening, they didn’t care that the Starlight gods had not stopped me sooner. They were angry with me. The nerve of them all. They should have been furious with our beloved gods, but they were angry with me!

  And then when they turned to the gods and tattled like a group of ungrateful children, the gods decided to take notice. Nightmare decided to take notice. She descended over my land pretending to be appalled by my actions but she had known, they all had known.

  She destroyed everything I loved, taking the life of my beloved son. My only son. She lived up to her reputation, having no mercy on me.

  Instead of ending my misery, she banned me from leaving this realm. I was left to rot, always reminded of my actions that lead to the death of my family, people, and kingdom.

  After I spent my fifty cycles in solitary confinement, I plotted against them all. I would continue my work and discover a shifter who could be better than Malik. They would be even more powerful and follow my command. I wouldn't fail again.

  I would never have expected Arthur and Catherine's only female born to be blessed with four spirits. I couldn't help but feel the excitement blossom within me as I overheard the prophecy, the child being blessed by the Goddess of Destruction herself. It was a sign that she would be my perfect subject. My perfect revenge.

  The night of her birthday, I had to put my plan into motion, taking my role as Uncle Ace to walk the halls of the kingdom at the wee hours of the night to the princess's room.

  I had to thank that fairy king for appointing me with one of his servants; applying the glamour effect to change my image so I could play my role to perfection.

  As I walked in, closing the door gently behind me I took a minute to watch her little figure, sound asleep. She slept on her back; lost in her childlike dreams as her multiple stuffed animals surrounded her in the bed.

  I gently shook her, her sleepy eyes slowly opening, confusion seeping into her face as she looked at me.

  "Uncle Ace. Is it playing time?" She questioned, rubbing her eyes against her eyes as she yawned.

  "No sweet Rosalina. We're going on a little trip...as your birthday present. I've already informed your papa and mama. Can you get ready quietly?" I whispered. I watched her eyes widen, excitement blooming in those radiant turquoise eyes as she jumped out of bed.

  "Do we have to go now?" She asked, yawning again.

  "Yes, little fox. We must if you want to make it there in time." I replied, looking at my black wrist watch.

  The nightly guard would be doing rounds soon. I had to leave now.

  "Can Kadey and Xaviory come?" She questioned, frowning. I shook my head.

  "No, they're still asleep but the moment they wake up they'll come and visit you." I reassured her, the lies flowing out of me like water.

  She took a moment to ponder before looking up at me.

  "Can I bring Mr. Bear? I don't want to leave him behind. He gets lonely without me, Rosey and Hopey." She questioned, before pointing to her small little bear, resting on the counter. I pulled off my best smile.

  "Yes, you can bring him." I replied, giving her permission. One bear wouldn't make a difference.

  "Yeah!" She cheered, running up to her table. She grabbed the light brown, stuffed animal as I glanced at my watch. We have to leave soon...

  My eyes glanced to check on the girl, her hands scribbling something on the drawing book on the table with a crayon. I noticed a giant heart on the side, making me roll my eyes. Children.

  She was probably wanting to draw something quickly, her distraction level reminding me of when Malik was but a child. I ignored the pang of pain in my heart as it ached in agony.

  She finished doodling before rushing to my side, yawning again. She raised her hands up, frowning as her eyes started to drop.

  "Up?" She asked softly, her voice filled with exhaustion.

  I smiled at her before kneeling, picking her up to cradle her against my chest, her head laying against my shoulder as her body relaxed.

  Within a few seconds, she was back asleep, her bear squished in between her and my chest as her breathing slowed. I sighed in relief. If either of her spirits had taken control, I would have been in trouble.

  I looked around her room one more time, deciding on what approach would be best. It would be best to apply the spell first.

  "Rosalina." I whispered, shaking her lightly. She stirred, opening her eyes to lifting her head. She turned to stare at me, her eyes fighting to stay open.

  "In order to give you the birthday present you have to agree to something. It's like a secret password to open the surprise." I lied, trying to find any way for her to agree to the loyalty mark I was about place upon her. She blinked at me, her head falling forward before snapping back up.

  "Password. Like the secret word Kadey has to use to open Xaivory’s room?" She mumbled.

  I nodded, hoping this plan would work, my heart beginning to race as I noticed the sun begin to rise.

  "Yes. All you have to say is I pledge to you when I tell you too. Okay." I informed her. She nodded absentmindedly.

  "Rosalina Mackenzie Heart, you now belong within my care. Let thy loyalty mark be revoked, your bond to Arthur Heart becoming no more but a memory. I, Blair Aspen am your Owner now, the ruler of Latelia. When you enter my land, your memories will be forgotten, enclosed deep within your mind, unable to return unless unlocked. Pledge to me." I chanted, the magic flowing out of me as my body began to glow, my eyes emitting a red light.

  She tilted her head at me, her eyes staring into mine in wonder.

  "Pretty red light." She whispered, distracted by the glow of my eyes.

  "Rosalina, you have to say the secret words." I reminded.

  "Oh, hehe hehe. I pledge to you." She whispered.

  I watched her flinch as her chest began to glow, the once loyalty mark that displayed A.H, fading away as my loyalty mark replaced it.

  She yawned, her head falling back onto my shoulder, falling asleep immediately. I turned to the window, noticing my transportati
on car had arrived, hidden with the use of magic, parked a few feet from the gate.

  I couldn't help but smile, my plans falling into place.

  Sixteen cycles later, I stood here. I never imagined my path would lead to this moment as I waited for any signs of life.

  As if answering my thoughts, four flashes of light flew through the sky: purple, red, black and gold. My shoulder slumped as I stared at the night sky.

  I was ready to step forward, to sprint towards the edge to confirm whether she was truly gone when a final light shone through the sky. Midnight blue.

  My eyes widen, my heart skipping a beat as I watched the light fade away. Impossible. It couldn't be. There was one more? No, I would have sensed it.

  The test results should have shown if she had another spirit. Midnight...no she wasn't a spirit. She was a reflection of Mako, a split personality we were able to induce through vigorous treatments. She didn't categorize as a spirit, so what was that?

  I tried to calm the anger that began to rise, realizing I'd lost more than just my gateway to revenge. I lost a potential five spirit holder. She was the first of our kind to survive carrying four spirits.

  I could only imagine the power she would possess with five. She would be unstoppable. Now she was no more, apart of the lava below.

  I felt something press against my shoulder. I took a deep breath, attempting to keep my composure. I turned my head, a pair of haunting violet eyes greeted me.

  “I’ve searched the perimeter, no living thing but you and I.” He admitted, smoothly.

  I nodded, ignoring the ache that began to form in my heart as I kept a blank face.

  I glimpse back at the cliff, the steam emitting from the hot lava below, rising in the air. She truly was gone, one with the lot of foolish failures. If only she listened to me…she should have obeyed me. This wouldn’t have happened. I failed, yet again.

  I turned my back, heading towards the thick fog, Jeffrey’s footsteps trailing behind. I snapped my fingers, the mirage dropping down, revealing the large, black house hidden within. Even though those menacing knights destroyed my facility, they weren’t strong enough to notice my hidden house.