Chapter 19

I woke up from fevered sleep, sweat dousing my body as I panted. Each breath I drew was cool and refreshing; so much that I almost felt pain at its cold touch on my throat. The air was cold; almost painfully so.

But, after the pain I’d somehow gone through in my sleep, it was nothing but a small chewing. I didn’t open my eyes, for they were heavy as lead. There was a throbbing on a part of my mind, very much like a migraine. No, I laid still, my eyes closed, and breathed, keeping my mind free from thoughts.

It took a little while for me to get used to the cold air; enough for me to finally relax. Slowly, the constant drum beat in my mind faded away, and my mind came clear.

What had happened? What had been that voice, so soothing and pleasant in my mind? What had been that awful sensation of darkness, falling and flying? What had been that excruciating pain? Who had been the one speaking honey in my mind?

I tried to think of what I could remember. My evened breath stopped for a moment.

Wind. Anneson. Xavier. Vin.

With those names, I instantly remembered everything. I remembered how Xavier’s power had mixed with mine, causing havoc and chaos. I remembered how his arms had caressed me, how his cry was so distraught and in pain. Had he really been that heartbroken and dismayed? Did he really feel the strong bond, the destiny and chemistry that was to fly between us? Were we truly in love with each other?

Wait.

Everything was in the past tense: ‘remembered’, ‘had’, ‘did’.

Was –am –I dead?

I gave myself a quick self-check. I could feel. I could breathe. My thinking stopped again for a short second. I was thinking.

I had a heartbeat. Did ghosts have imaginary heartbeat in Heaven? Was this Hell? Hell didn’t seem so cold; in my imagination. Was this the Otherworld?

There was only one way to find out.

I opened my eyes…

And forced them closed again, since the light plainly fried my vision. I flinched; my muscles complaining with aches. Then, I opened my eyes again, more carefully this time. The first thing I realized was that the light was actually dimmed light. Yet, they were blinding to my eyes as I tried to keep them open, blinking furiously.

I was in a bedroom of some sort; a bedroom for royalty. The four-poster bed was so comfy I felt like I lying on a cloud. There was no distinct design from the bedroom; just a perfect splash of everything that blended together.

I half-expected a medieval fireplace as I turned to the corner of the room, but in its place was a small wardrobe. The color blend was perfect soft, but I could see that whoever owned this room had mind in simple, perfect beauty.

I began to sit up, and then realized that I was stark naked underneath. If I wasn’t dead, then I hadn’t returned to the Hand of God the way I came.

So…

Who the hell undressed me?

Whoever who did it probably saw the scars on my back, given painfully by my power and my parent’s torture. It was a sensitive subject for me; the scars.

Shivering at the thought of anyone touching my scars, I drew up the covers around me, the chill in the cold air touching my bare skin. Damned, it was cold here.

“You’re awake. How do you feel?” The same smooth voice that had been in my mind sounded as I jerked the covers further up my body, more to cover my scars than my modesty.

As I looked at the owner of the voice that spoke, I began to understand who it was and how it had come to my mind. It was evidence enough that I wasn’t dead. Unless he was dead too, which I reckoned wasn’t very true.

He looked simple as always, but there was a distinct ring around his finger, fitting the rebellious piercing on his lip. It was a simple metal band of iron around his middle finger, and a rough carving of is name.

“Yes, this was given to me while I was once working for the High King in the past. It was the first jewelry I had, and back then it meant that I was perfect as a servant enough to be addressed by my own name. I was terribly proud at that time and wore it around. Ironic, isn’t it? How I was so proud of my name, in my young childhood folly? How are you faring today?” Kote probably saw my gaze as his fingers began to fiddle with the ring on his middle finger, taking quick, smooth strides towards me.

Feeling a little naked –which I really was –I drew the covers right over my shoulders, effectively wrapping my whole body from sight. I opened my mouth to reply the Master Ancient, but stopped myself before any words could get out. What did he mean of how I was faring ‘today’? How long had I been here?

But firstly, I felt damned thirsty, and didn’t trust my voice not to betray me.

Kote sat gently at the side of the bed, leaving me some personal space of my own as he kept a good distance away. However, he leaned to the bedside table, and poured a cup of water, and handed it over to me. Okay, I definitely hadn’t noticed the jug.

There was no way to accept the cup without edging the covers down my shoulders, and he would see my scars. I was at a loss of what to do.

Somehow, the Master Ancient seemed to understand, as he smiled at me gently, which caused a slight tingling in my stomach.

“If you’re worried about the scars, I’m sorry that I’ve already seen them. But rest assured, I make no comments, and will speak no word about it ever. If you’re worried about your modesty, I can return when you’ve dressed.” Kote said kindly, still holding out the cup, but watching me with a politely curious face.

I put on my thoughtful face for a little while to let my sluggish mind understand his words, and then wriggled the covers away from my shoulders, accepting the cup. Truly; I have never felt water taste so sweet ever before. It tasted almost like an elixir, as I downed it in a single gulp. Kote refilled the cup again, and I downed my seconds on the delicious, plain water.

And then, when my throat finally didn’t feel like I’d been walking through a desert for years, I handed him the cup, watching him quietly as he put both gently back on the table. Damned, I’d drained almost the full jug. I must have been that thirsty.

“You’re doing well, I presume? Do you feel anything weird?”

I nodded to the first answer and shrugged to the second, still not trusting my voice to obey me.

“Do you feel that the light is blinding in your eyes? Do you hear heartbeats of every living thing around you? Do you hear the quiet shuffling of leaves in the wind?”

They were weird questions, but the answers weren’t weird, as I tuned in to my hearing. At first, all I heard was soft, comfortable silence. But, as I concentrated on hearing, I heard soft beats, soft whistling of the wind. But none of that was in this room. It wasn’t even relatively close. It had to be at least a mile away.

“Oh my god.” My first words were scratchy, as if I’d been screaming too much –which I probably did –and I tried my best to clear my voice.

“Dru, tell me how you feel.” Kote’s polite questions suddenly turned commanding and the urge to answer washed over me. Before I knew it, my words were out.

“I feel cold, weird. I ache all over, and I’m confused. Very confused.”

Whoa. No way in Heaven, Hell, or the Otherworld I would ever say that willingly.

As my mind rushed to catch up with what happened, I saw Kote smile to himself ever so slightly. What the hell? How could he order me like that? Why did I feel that irrepressible urge to obey him? The only moments I’d felt that irrepressible urge was always when Wind ordered me to do anything. And I had reason to obey, because Wind was my Master.

So why was I feeling the same urge to obey Kote, when he wasn’t the one who made me?

“Yes, I understand why you are confused, Dru. You must be curious to why you are forced to answer me. You must be utterly dumbfounded by how you’re here, talking to me, feeling just fine, save a little cold. You must be puzzled at why you are not dead yet.”

I fought off the urge to say ‘Duh’ as I nodded.

“I will not speak in puzzles like what Wind does. First of all, I will promise you something that Wind never did. I will promise you an open relationship, and everything I do concerning you will be known to you. Likewise, it should go vice versa. Do you understand me?”

This time, I couldn’t keep my words away.

“I understand what you mean, but why should we keep a relationship? I mean, you’re the Master Ancient. I’m just a…… Keeper of Seattle. I’m nothing but a liability to you.”

Kote laughed softly at my confused words, and the light that danced in his depthless green eyes was both intriguing and dangerous.

“You are more that, Dru. You are the Mistress of Magic Manipulation. It is not to my concern how powerful you are, but it is concern to you, your brother and your other half. Please, I would not like to see you sell yourself short.” The truth was plain in Kote’s words, and I couldn’t help but trust him completely. Though I had perfect experience of being backstabbed by Wind, I felt kind of strange that I was so willing to trust Kote.

Kote was the Master Ancient for god-damned sake. Kote definitely held more power and secrets than any nightstalker, and here I was, surrendering my piece of information over to him, for him to keep control over me.

“Okay, I am the Mistress of Magic Manipulation. But how does that concern you?” I realized it sounded a little rude, and blushed, but Kote waved it away, the light in his eyes glowing now as the smile began to grow mischievous. I was suddenly reminded by his thief’s hand and fingers.

“It concerns me much now, Dru.”

“And why exactly?” I prompted when he didn’t offer more information. His mischievous smile, as if not wide enough, grew even bigger as he practically jumped up and down in excitement. I never thought I would see the day that Kote would be anything more than calm. It felt like I was seeing Jin crazy and mad again.

“I’m your Master.”

____________________________________________________________________

 “God, you can’t truly believe that I…” I trailed off when Kote gave me a stern look.

I fell silent, biting my lower lip as I instinctively turned my gaze to the floor. I learnt, from experience, that when Kote gave you that look, you might as well shut the hell up, and look anywhere other than at him. He was scary enough as it is; you didn’t need to pee yourself before him just by seeing his glare at you.

“I deemed you worthy, and you are. You have proved yourself many times to me. Do you not think I cannot see your strength and capability? Did you forget what I said about selling yourself short?”

Damned that question again. One thing Kote didn’t like was someone selling themselves short. And when it came to someone who knew Kote well; he hated it even more, and loved to use that question against me. How was I to blame if I was born with the primal instinct to be humble?

“I’m sorry, Kote. But I don’t think I’m…”

“Dru.” His short command of my name cut me off completely, and I bit my lip even harder, trying my best to prevent words of protest from escaping my mouth. Kote was in his unhappy mood, and it was best that I didn’t pour a gallon of oil over his small campfire.

“Look at me, Dru.” He ordered, and the same urge took me again. Kote rarely ordered anything from me, and even if he wasn’t my Master, I would have obeyed without hesitation. When Kote ordered something, you obeyed. Nothing else. Zilch. Nada.

His depthless green eyes were swirling crazily and his red hair –like always –seemed like it was on fire. I saw perfect contrast in both of them, the air of authority almost making his hair fly like the head of Medusa. His lip piercing did nothing to soften the strict expression upon his face as I struggled not to bring my eyes away from his ensnaring eyes.

“You admit you are powerful. You admit you are stronger than you used to be. I admit that you are able to surpass many others. Even Jin will have a hard time with you; and Jin has been my life’s work. Which parts of you do not deserve what I speak of?” He asked carefully, and the way he put it; it was so frigging easy.

I hated that Kote had a way with his words, that could make your hatred against something change into grudging acceptance. The way Kote put his words, my mind wandered uncontrolled over to how it would feel like, taking up the post.

“I do not choose with recklessness. True, in my younger years, I’ve made many stupid mistakes that I have come to regret. But I can make my decisions wisely now, and I say that you can. So you damned well listen to me, stomp in, and shake their ass upside down, you understand me?”

Kote’s seriousness turned to playful banter as he began to inject the coarser words into his speech, and I saw my adaptive Master for who he was. Kote owed his living to his uncanny ability of adapting. Kote adapted to being a nightstalker in no time, adapted to being an Ancient in just a few hours. Kote adapted to being around sorcerers trying to kill him in a matter of days. Kote adapted to learning nightstalker lore in just a few seconds. Kote adapted to his surrounding like it was nothing.

“Do I have to?” I tried to whine, since I knew the dangerous patch of our conversation was over.

“Do you want to? Walk in, flip your hair at Rozzanne, batter your eyelid at Valerio and flash a seductive smile to Jin while you walk to Wind’s chair? Do you want to see their reactions while you do all those? You are supposed to be a dead woman, Dru. Would Rozzanne lose it when you walk to Wind’s chair? Would Jin –the dead serious nightstalker –jump for joy? Would Valerio drop from his chair? These are questions we want to answer, Dru.”

“But, I have no idea about the job!” I finally got it past my lips. Despite my ex-Master having the same job, I had been too bothered with my own affairs to meddle with his job.

“Hello? Earth to Dru? Do you really expect me to throw you ‘How to be an Ancient 101’? It’s a foolproof job!”

“We’re dealing with the Nightstalker community here! Not just a small domain called Seattle!” I protested. It was true. I had no single shit of what I had to do, and it’d taken me months before I got used to being the Keeper of Seattle.

“No shit, Sherlock. Wind sat on the chair half-asleep every single time anyone brought up an issue and spoke when he wanted someone to be killed. It’s an idiot’s job. Really.” Kote’s words were infuriatingly bored, considering he was the one leading the ‘meetings’.

“So why ask me on it? Why can’t you ask someone else? Faith?” My assistant seemed the best choice for it. Though I hadn’t seen her for quite some time, I knew Faith well enough to know that she could deal with these things.

“I ask you because you need credit for Wind’s death. We need to fill up his seat, and no one’s in a better position than his Creation. Not only that, you are the Mistress of Magic Manipulation. It will get to the ears of the Families, and hopefully –just hopefully –you can put a word to smooth relations between us. Otherwise, they’ll think twice of declaring war against us, since we have you on our side.” Kote pointed out the facts with a straight face, as if I wasn’t standing before him, still very much alive.

I felt my slight amused smile slip a little. “Point out that my name is Lorna Reyzon? What’s the point of keeping it a secret, only to reveal it after so long?”

The mischievous smile turned sly and conniving, and I fought the urge to groan and slap my forehead. When Kote turned sly, no one could outdo him.

“That’s where your supposed death comes in. When I brought you away, the nightstalkers had hoped that you would live. But weeks after with no news, they began to think you were truly dead. Months; and they now believe that you are never coming back. What they are confused with is how I never announced officially of your death. But through it all, we were training you hard and teaching you to use your new senses and power. Now that you pop out, alive as anyone else, shouldn’t you create a name for yourself, by pronouncing yourself the Mistress of Magic manipulation to the world?”

I had to give it to him; it made sense. If I was to go into the next room now and stomp onto Wind’s chair, why shouldn’t I do it with added fame and honor? Honestly speaking, I loved Kote’s idea of making a name for myself.

“Fine.” I finally conceded, allowing a sly smile to creep across my face too. Damned, it was too attractive for me.

“Come on; let me tell you what to do.” Kote said as he began to whisper in my ear.

Five minutes later, I was leaning on the wall outside the meeting hall, tuning my ears carefully to the conversation flying in the hall. Rozzanne and Valerio were fighting for who they wanted to take Wind’s seat, but Jin was keeping quiet, interjecting his thoughts between gaps. Kote added oil to fire by adding some comments that neither side liked, and from the tone of his voice, he was truly entertained and amused.

“No, she’s too ignorant! She couldn’t speak past her fear even if her life depends on it!” Valerio’s protest was strong and criticizing as he punctuated every of ‘her’ flaws.

“And here you are, telling me he’s perfect! He cannot even stand before me without his hands shaking like Parkinson’s disease had struck him! How dare you tell me about her fear!” Roz shouted back with so much anger that I suspected she was about to explode.

“Look at yourself in the mirror, Roz! He shakes because he struggles to contain his laughter at your hideous face!” Valerio took on his favorite way of aiming at any woman –criticizing their looks.

Tap.

My ears perked up as I heard the first tap. Neither Valerio nor Roz seemed to hear it, since they were still fighting furiously. Roz was back to her primal instincts of fighting back, since someone was insulting her looks.

Tap.

I straightened up.

Click. Tap. Click. Tap. Tap. Click.

I began to get ready. If we were going to make this work, then we would make it so spectacular that no second person would try it ever again. With Kote and his dramatic flair, we had made a perfect plan.

“You fight me, Valerio! Pointless fights; we are going through! We need a nightstalker to take Wind’s place! His chair has gone empty long enough!”

Tap.

With the tap, I instantly slammed the door open with my newfound strength, succeeding in jolted everyone –save Kote –in their shock. I forced back a satisfied grin when papers went flying before Valerio’s table. The poor nightstalker probably had been holding on to a bunch of paper, before it was jerked out of his hand in his shock.

“Then I shall claim his seat! Shouldn’t that help you put an end to your fights?” I announced with a stern face, keeping determination set on my face.

Mouths –save Kote’s –dropped open as I walked firmly into the room. Wind’s chair was strategically placed across the door, right at the other end of the room.

“Dru!” Kote’s call took my attention as he came to his feet, surprise writing across his face. Damned, but my Master had perfect acting skills.

“Yes, Master Ancient Kote. I am here to claim Wind’s seat, and I will not take no for an answer.” I said in my most determined voice, watching Kote’s depthless green eyes swirling. I was probably the only one who saw his amusement and anticipation.

“You are supposed to be dead, Keeper of Seattle.” There was silent curiosity in his tone; a perfect voice actor too.

“I am here, perfectly alive. Shall I assume that no one is to fight me for Wind’s seat?” I addressed Kote fully, but Roz seemed to have other comments.

“You will not, you little bitch! That seat’s left for my Clarisse!” Roz shot up from her seat, a fire burning in her eyes while I turned slowly to her, as if seeing her only for the first time.

“Clarisse? Pardon me; who the hell is she?” I spoke with the exaggerated placating tone no one liked.

Naturally, it worked on Roz too.

“You will not take her seat.”

I deliberately gave her a slow blink.

“Pardon me, is this not Wind’s seat? I wasn’t aware that an Ancient had already been chosen.”

“No, but-” Roz started to say, but I interrupted her. I knew Roz would fight for her Clarisse, whoever she was.

“Then this is not yet her seat. I am here to claim his seat. He was my Master, was he not? I will inherit his seat.”

“You will duel Clarisse for the seat!” Roz tried to proclaim, but I brushed my power against her.

Her eyes widened when she was hit with the full force of my power. She stumbled, and tried to reach me with her superior speed, intending to scare me. But no, I was here to scare, not be scared.

With the power that ran in Kote’s blood in my veins, I reached by her side in speed only Kote and Jin could replicate, and forced her down in her seat with superior strength. Standing over her, I put one hand on her throat, squeezing gently.

“I can break it now so that Clarisse has her seat. Either that, or we have a good talk over this and I’ll take Wind’s seat. Your choice.” I purposefully allowed my voice to be placating.

One thing everyone hated was knowing that their enemy was looking down on them.

I had to give it to Roz; she didn’t even flicker a single eyelid. She didn’t even have a slightest flash of fear or surprise across her eyes, but I figured it was because of her lack of information. She still thought I was still useless and weak. She had no idea that I had Kote’s blood running in me now, not to mention that I had been trained by Kote for the past few months.

“Get your filthy hands off me, you little scum.” She spat, even though I was holding her by her throat. Any pressure I put on it would start to crack her neck. Slowly, it would break, and she would choke, until no air could go to her lungs. But she didn’t understand it

“Don’t try fighting back, Roz. I’m no longer Wind’s little doll.” I figured it best to warn her first, since it would be the best. At least, if Kote wanted to lecture me for accidentally killing another Ancient, then maybe I had excuse.

With speed that I would have once been unable to track, Roz slipped away from my grips, pushing her chair away. She tried to appear behind me, trying to take me by surprise. But I’d expected it.

Before she could expect it, I turned around, and grabbed her by her throat again, swinging her whole body with my full strength and slamming her back into her chair. This time, I was less gentle as I shoved her against the back of her chair, slowly beginning to choke her off.

“Come on, now, Dru. You’re here to collect a seat. Not open another.” Kote said, and a hand gently closed over mine. I didn’t need him to put any force on it. Kote’s words were my command as I let go of Roz, looking into my Master’s eyes. Amusement was there, but there was caution. There was some reason that Roz was still here as an Ancient, and he didn’t want me interfering. I was only too happy to oblige.

“Fine. Then do you, Kote, Master Ancient, grant me a seat?” I spoke it loud enough for everyone else to hear.

Without a doubt, Kote nodded. He was the one who forced me to be an Ancient. Why wouldn’t he allow me?

“Yet, my word is not final. Roz has given her stand. What says the other two Ancients who’ve been keeping quiet so far?” Kote spoke, almost as if he were a show host. Guiding me away from Roz, he brought me to the middle of the circle the tables created, and returned to his seat.

So far, I had one vote in favor, one vote opposing me.

“What says you, Valerio? Have me sitting on Wind’s seat?”There was no point in keeping formalities with Valerio. Though Valerio was a friend, and someone I could speak with ease to, Valerio’s mind as ever changing like the wind, his viewpoint of me always fluctuating.

I must have caught Valerio on a nice day, or the amusement was catching up with him, because he grinned and beckoned me over.

I obeyed quietly, stopping just before his desk, where his feet were propped on the desk while he leaned against the back of his chair.

“Look at me, lovely Dru, and tell me you’re alive.” His words were light and interesting; what I hear when he was in a good mood every single time.

“I’m alive, Valerio. Live and kicking. No thanks to Wind, though. Glad that the bastard’s gone.” I grinned back in reply, having him tilting his head back and laughing lightly.

“Of course. Who wouldn’t be? He was a real pain in my ass. Do you think you’ll be one too?” His face turned a little serious –something I rarely saw on him.

I thought for a short while. And then I nodded. “I’ll be more than that. I’ll be a pain in your neck. Maybe choke you to death with my sight and words.”

There was silence, and a tugging inside of me, signaling Kote’s confusion. But he didn’t know the relationship running beneath everything between Valerio and me. We were different. No –not the lovers’ type of relationship. It was more of an interesting friendship that few people shared.

“That’s what I want to hear from you, lovely Dru. You’ll have a hard time convincing that block of wood over there, though.” Valerio yawned and stretched, pointing at Jin disinterestedly.

“Keep your eyes peeled then.” I promised, as I walked over to Jin’s table. Jin was sitting perfectly still in his chair, his eyes only on me as he watched my approach. I wasn’t sure what it was that colored in his eyes, but I was sure it was something running between shock and amazement.

“Greeting, Master Jin. I trust that you, Asia and Seattle are well?” I bowed slightly to him, since now that I was claiming Wind’s seat, I would no longer be below him.

“Asia and Seattle are coping just fine.” He replied with the cold emotionless voice as his green eyes pierced through me. Instead of his trademark red trench coat today, he was wearing a semi-casual black shirt and simple trousers, paired up perfectly with a dark blue over coat. Don’t even get me asking why Jin insisted on wearing his coats and jackets indoors.

“What about you?” I noted that he spoke nothing of himself. Surely he was confused as well?

“And you?” He avoided the question plainly, and I allowed him to sidetrack me.

“I’m perfectly well. I heard from Kote that you’ve been taking care of Seattle all these while. I give you my upmost thanks.” I bowed again, to show my sincerity.

“Nonsense. Thank your servant Faith. She is of great help to me and Seattle.”

“I trust she is doing well?”

He nodded. “But someone is not.”

Someone? Who? Cole? Anneson? Oh no, Anneson. I’d totally forgotten about him.

“Who?”

“You’ll come to know when you return to Seattle.”

I nodded. “Would you accept me as an Ancient taking Wind’s seat?”

“No.”

The reply was so straight and sharp that I almost had trouble controlling my face from shock. I’d expected Jin to agree. I’d expected Jin to accede to his Master’s will into making me an Ancient.

“You will not take Wind’s seat. I will. You will take my seat. You do not deserve to sit in the filthy stain he has done upon the Ancient’s seat. Take mine, and receive the glow of being an Ancient.” Jin continued firmly as he stood. Before I could protest, he disappeared and appeared at the other end of the room, at Wind’s seat.

“I trust that Master Ancient Kote is fine with this arrangement?” Jin asked, and Kote looked at his Creation for a short moment.

This time, the slight smile showed as he nodded to Jin, who sat promptly. Then Kote stood.

“Then it is decided. Dru Lorna Reyzon, you shall be the next Ancient. Ancient Wind Elliot Mariam’s seat will be taken by Jinika Hironagina. Respectively, Dru Lorna Reyzon will take Jinika Hironagina’s seat. Three votes in favor of the movement, and one in opposition. As the Master Ancient Kote, I officially declare you, Dru Lorna Reyzon, an Ancient.”

Valerio was the only one who clapped as I sat in Jin’s seat.

But it was all the glory I would ever want.

I was an Ancient.