Chapter 4

Haven

Present day

Beyond the Veil

Haven pulled free the fish she had caught that morning and unwrapped it from the butcher paper she had laid it in. She pulled the knife from her boot and slit the belly of the fish from the nape of its neck down to the tail. She fished out its innards and slipped them into a small bowl she pulled from her pack. After she pulled the innards free she slid the backside of the knife's cerated edge up and down the outside of the fish. Scales flittered into the air casting rainbow refractions as the wind took them away.

Her original plan had been to sneak into The View in the evening but it didn't seem possible without Halex or her brother attending the gate. She wished she could be a man in moments like these, free to come and go as they pleased, to join the army, and even expected to hunt for their food without so much as needing a license or special permissions from the Chief of the Waterkin.

Haven shook her head and set her mind to the tasks at hand. She picked up the moss she had pulled from the aspen tree and placed it in the bowl with fish innards. She ground down the moss and innards with the back of her knife handle until they blended into a fine paste that smelled of the earth. She used the paste to mask the smell of the fresh fish covering the fillet in it and using every part of her kill. The moss would protect the food from spoilage and some said consuming it brought you closer to the Gods.

She turned to the deep pit she had dug out years before with her father, a traditional pit smoking method used by the Waterkin to cook their foods in the wilderness. The pit was lined with stones and kept in the fire so that it could be left unattended. The earth absorbed the heat and kept a warm steady temperature when insulated properly. Earlier that morning she had filled it with branches which she had lit. She knew by the time she returned the pit would be ready to smoke her catch. She kicked the large stone that covered most of the pit, and watched as embers scattered into the air. She made quick work placing her filet in the convex hole dug at the center of the pit placing the filet there. After it settled she kicked the warm rock back into place.

The Waterkin had passed down the pit smoking method for generations. It lessened the chance of being found in the woods, whether by brown bears, or worse.

After Haven finished her meal she watched the sun set from within her tent. She begin to nod off her eyes heavy from the warmth of her tent and the cool air. The woods were quiet, the birds were slowing down their chirping and the warm sun was beginning to cool. The soft breeze soothed her to sleep."Papa..." She found herself saying as she drifted. She felt dizzy as the warmth of her pelt drew her into sleep. It was as if she could see him behind her closed lids. The image was so piercing that it startled her. It was like she was standing beside him staring at her.

"Haven." He whispered.

Then she was overlooking the city from the clouds. She had never been fearful of heights but hovering above the entire world she felt as if she might fall. She screamed for her father to come save her from where she flew in the sky. "Haven..." She heard him whisper once more.

The image shifted, her father hovering over a fresh kill. "See the deer there?" He asked her.

She nodded looking down at the blood on her hands. Had she killed the deer? "Drink for the Gods." Her father whispered shoving the deer's heart towards her mouth. She didn't have the option as he pushed the flesh into her open mouth. She screamed as he held her head in place and she sucked at the iron tasting blood of the deer.

Haven shot awake lurching forward. She looked down at her hands in the darkness. She felt as if she was being watched. At the foot of her roll was an owl, peering at her in the darkness.

"Whooo." The owl called.

She couldn't tell if she was awake or dreaming. Her hands felt clammy with sweat as she clenched the pelt.

"Whooo." She whispered back.

The owl peered at her hooting again. "Whoo."

She sat up on an elbow, "What are you doing around here?" She jokingly asked.

"Whoo whoo whoo." The owl replied.

The stars shimmered above her. She couldn't believe it had gotten so late. "So are you the owl who stole my kill?" She asked the large creature. She rung her hands and then whispered, "Are you my fathers spirit?"

The owl looked at her in silence.

"I didn't think so." She laid back down on the pelt her father had given her years before and looked at the glowing stars.

Then came a loud thunk as the owl landed beside her peering into her eyes only inches from her face. She immediately shifted back putting distance between she and the owl. It stretched out its long wings.

She sat in frozen silence as she watched its brown wings expand before her. It lunged forward half in flight and bit her hard on the cheek.

"Ow!" She screamed. "What did I ever do to you?" She batted at the owl aware that it had razor sharp talons that could shred her skin with a simple move.

The owl lunged at her once more pecking at her wrist and drawing blood.

She fell back onto her pelt defending her face as the owl jumped upon her chest clawing at her neck and breasts. She felt warm blood slowly begin to ooze down her sides. Was this it? Death by owl?

"Where is it?" The owl hissed.

She shook violently. "Where did he hide it inside of you Haven?" The owl hooted, and though it did not speak she understood its meaning. "Where did your father put it?"

"Put what?" Haven thrust a hand at the owl and held her bleeding throat with the other. Her attempt at attacking the owl was futile.

"If you want to live, you'll have to let it out." The owl said.

Haven felt her blood begin to choke her. She spat blood onto the pelt and turned onto her side. Was she really being attacked by an owl? Was she dreaming? She clawed at the tents opening and fell forwards towards her pack pulling free her canteen. She couldn't breathe, air getting trapped inside of her throat before it could make its way to her lungs.

"Find it Haven," The owl flew from the tent and landed beside her where she lay on the wet grass looking up at the stars. "Find her. Find mother."

"Haven." Her father spoke. He appeared in a deep green mist beside her. He looked somehow different than before. His hair had been blonde but now it was an almost silver, and his eyes were a true gold.

"Papa." Have gurgled as she turned towards him reaching out.

"What did you do?" Her father asked the owl.

"I did what must be done to fulfill mothers wishes." The owl said in both of their minds.

"He-" Haven tried to ask her father for help. She looked up at him as she choked on her own saliva. She hacked blood onto the ground.

"Haven, listen to me," Haven looked up at her father who seemed to be glowing an almost green. She was dreaming wasn't she? "Haven you have to call your Essence." Her father said and then he looked to the owl.

"What have you done Aelor?" Her father asked the owl, "She will feel Haven now."

Haven began to slip into darkness. A more permanent darkness than just a dream. She watched as the stars danced in her eyes... She reached her hand up as she began to die, towards the falling stars. "No stars..." She mumbled, "Don't cry."

"Haven." Her father shook her shoulders.

"Papa!" She smiled at her father.

"You have to listen to me. You have to pull from within. You have to pull from your Essence."

Haven smiled and looked down at the owl and her strange golden eyed father. "Papa?" She asked.

"What have you done Aelor?" Her father asked the owl. The owl was quiet, and in the way he had spoken before she could also feel his fear.

"I may have miscalculated. You'll need to pull her into The Veil."

"She can find us there in an instant Aelor." Her father said to the Owl.

She found it amusing to watch her golden eyed father speak to an owl, but then again so had she.

She was lifted into the air weightlessly as her father picked her up in his arms. She looked up at him in wonder and watched as a strange portal appeared just like the one he had come from. He looked down at Haven. "This could rip her apart Aelor." He said.

"It's her only chance." The Owl began to morph, shifting it's body. It screeched as it grew long, its body making strange snapping noises as its feathers retracted and turned to skin. It's wings extended and then retracted into its back. From where its wings once were arms began to form. From the owl emerged a tall man whose form continued to change util eventually he was a man with sharp tipped ears and completely white eyes. His hair was perfectly braided, and vines were intertwined throughout his braids. His transformation into a being was complete as he stepped forward into The Veil. "She must find her Essence." He said his voice a deep thrum, "She must find the Original Mother."

As her father walked through the tear in The Veil, Haven coughed and breathed clearly. "She's gone blue. If you killed my daughter Aelor I will kill you." Her father said to Aelor through a growl.

"Her color's returning." Aelor said nervously.

Her father gently placed her on the soft warm ground.

"She will sense Haven is here. We don't have long." Aelor told him.

"And whose fault is that Aelor? I'm not skilled with healing and she split here. Her soul is being ripped from her body."

"Unless you have a better idea brother..." Aelor whispered.

"How about not trying to kill my daughter in the first place?" Her father shouted.

"The time is now brother. The hour has begun. If she didn't find her power soon we wouldn't have a chance. You have protected her for long enough." Haven felt the warmth of her fathers hand on her neck and reached up to hold it.

She tried to speak but only coughed blood. She could breath through her nose and her vision was coming back into focus. Both of the men stopped being blurry and Haven became aware of their similarities. They each had white hair and were taller than any man she had met before. Had her father grown? She was disoriented as she gazed around. It was muggy here, wherever they were. The warmth made her forehead break out in a sweat.

Haven looked at the tall man who stood beside her father with a hand over her chest. They both had intense stares as a glowing green light shot from their fingertips and into Haven's own body.

"I feel it." Aelor said to her father.

"I couldn't release it if I tried. She's tethered to Nyx."

Haven gasped air. Her throat was cold from the wet blood but she could breath fully. The man with his pointed ears, white eyes, and long braid smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet you my dear." He spoke in a gravely voice.

Haven took a deep breath once more. Her throat ached but it was no longer cut off from her lungs. "There, there." Her father smiled rubbing her neck. She felt the pain fade as his touch calmed her. The green mist rushed into her wounds guided by his hand. It swirled around her, filling her eyes, nose, and mouth.

"I can feel her Essence staring within her." Aelor said to her father.

"Who are you?" She asked him as he held a hand above her chest and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I'm your Papa." He told her, "Now rest."

Haven looked around her at the forest. It was the same as it had been before the owl had attacked her, but strangely unique. It was warm, when she knew the forest was cold, it had no breeze and an almost sticky green mist."We are between worlds here. We needed to stop time, in a way. To suspend your soul so it wouldn't leave your body and return to her." He told Haven softly. "But there isn't much time till she senses you here."

Just then, from a few feet away there was a rustling. "I knew I smelled something pretty." Came a catlike voice, purring with excitement. The warm air suddenly seemed to hum with power. The vibration was almost palpable as the mist shifted in color turning a deep mahogany red. She took a step forward towards them. Her father stood, placing himself between Haven and the woman.

"Get her out of here Aelor. I'll deal with her."

The tall red haired woman took another step forward. "You know if I kill her in this realm, she's really dead daddy." The red eyed woman hissed then with the twitch of her finger she sent the red mist towards Haven and Aelor. "And I know she's your favorite."

Her father hurled himself between them, a flash of green lightning originating from his fingers and striking the woman in the chest.

"Now Aelor, go!" Her father shouted at them.

Aelor lifted her with precision careful of her bruised chest and neck. Her head bobbed as she looked back at her father. In a blink Aelor shot forward, a familiar popping and crunching as wings began to emerge from his back. He lifted the two of them through the shimmering tear in theEther her fathers lightning had created.

Haven's head bobbed as Aelor flew through the rip in The Veil. She strained to get one last glimpse of her father, as he stood between she and the red eyed woman, green lightning dancing off of his finger tips.