Naomi

Day 29

God! God! God, I wanted to still be lying dead in that geyser field. I can't die because I'm too strong to die– or too weak.

Bracus was lucky that he got me in the lowest of states, otherwise, I would've escaped. For once in my life, I don't care anymore. I didn't care about walking into a carriage with thousands of onlookers staring at us. Their dirty glances didn't humiliate me to my very core, nor did their heads leaning toward someone to say a nasty whisper about me. I wanted this to be all over.

Bracus places me with my group of friends and orders them to watch me, so I don't make any escape. They're not my friends right now. I keep my head glancing towards the window, not wanting to look at them. I don't want to know how they feel about me.

"Naomi, you missed all t'e fun," Ivelisse tells me.

I pretend I didn't hear that.

"You missed t'e Blue Star Festival! T'ere was dancing! Music! Brig'tness! We all looked so good! You s'ould've seen it!"

Like I care.

"Naomi?"

I ignore her.

She asks louder, "Naomi?"

Blathnaid pokes my shoulder, trying to get my attention. I ignore her.

"Blat was c'osen to be a Queen of Evanity!" She cheers.

"Ive!" Blathnaid yells at her.

A mass of energy inside me grows, threatening to come out. Murder is not my intention, but if I release an electric hydra at once, I will add more to my kill count; it is pretty shameful.

"S'e needs to know."

"Ive, I am not going to be Queen of Evanity," she states, "At. All."

Phewf! I feel relieved. I still look outside, hoping something cool catches my attention, so it can be easier to ignore these passengers.

"But Ourdera announced t'at you'll be."

"Doesn't mean I will accept it."

"She is a goddess! T'at's sayin' somethin'."

"For feck sakes, Ive," Blathnaid snaps, "Can't you see I am not happy at all? I want to go home!"

"But you are goin' from a citizen into a royal! T'at's extremely rare for England!"

"I am happy with my former life and I am not fit to rule a gazillion people."

The energy grows inside me like a pressure cooker. Blathnaid is the only best friend I have presently. I can't lose her, not even one bit. Besides, their bickering is making me want to explode inside. I can see sparks around me. I don't force it back down. I am gently covering a pan that is on the verge to boil over.

"Girls! Knock it off!" Aelen commands, probably noticing the occasional sparks around me.

Please, do.

"Thank you," Markus utters.

"You girls were so into your argument that your heated bubble infected others," Aelen remarks, "So save it for later."

The girls finally shut up.

Silence is what remained in this broken carriage. It consumed the carriage for many hours, just the way I wanted, not in a good way though. I carefully watch the glowing path, light up extra as we step upon them. I refuse to focus on the chains. I am not going back as a village guest, but rather as a prisoner. A nasty slimy bug crawls against my back as I think about Gaeriscelleh. The dreadful sensation of doom has returned. It hit me like a jet engine, causing me to sharply exhale.

"Gaeriscelleh..." I whisper to myself.

"Pardon?" Blathnaid asks, confused.

"Something's wrong, I can feel it," I said.

"You're just nervous," Ivelisse dismisses me.

"It just hit right out of the blue! I feel the same way prior to something dangerous occurring," I contradict.

"T'at's because you're gonna get punis'ed," Ivelisse states, still dismissive.

I shoot daggers at Ivelisse, "I felt the same way before Markus's rampages."

"You're just tryin' to 'old off your punis'ment," she accuses.

"I am not," I coldly say, "If we walk into a danger zone at Bracus's empire, I am going to tell you so."

"Gaeris is not in danger."

"Wait until we get there to say that," I order.

"You're not the boss here, Nao."

"I am not, just advise before speaking, deciding, and judging," I say with some hints I am referring too.

"Enough," Aelen steps in, getting quite mad.

I ignore Ivelisse's next words, turning my back against the window. Another several minutes elapse by and I can see the forest again. The feeling escalates that it unlocks my fight or flight mode. The werewolves and other civilians are cheering that they are finally at home. They don't know what awaits them. I also don't know and that's why I am antsy.

We all grind to a stop. The village that Blathnaid, Ivelisse, Dominque, and I came across when we first arrived here. The glowing paths are now cursed in darkness. The lanterns are obliterated. Homes and buildings are destroyed into massive rubble. We can all hear sounds of disturbance, remaining fire, and cries. My friends notice the commotion. Blathnaid immediately opens the door and we all rush outside to see the vast destruction around us. Faeries and elves crying at their loss. They wonder if they could've done such a thing.

"Get back in the carriage!" Bracus orders us, fearing for our safety.

"I'm sorry, Naomi," Ivelisse tells me, realizing she has been wrong.

"What does she mean by that, Naomi?" He asks me, to which sounds like a threat.

"I had an awful feeling in the carriage," I explain to him, "And Ivelisse brushed it off."

We investigate the rubble. Homes deeper into the woods are destroyed and some woods are burning. The wolves, vampires, and darker elves howl into despair. The forest is no longer a place of everlasting peace. It now looks like a forest in a horror setting and California in wildfires. We also begin to see many bodies, not bodies of Bracus's men, but Netedinark's creatures I've seen on Earth before going into the portal.

"Netedinark," I say as if it were a cuss word.

I glance at Bracus, fists shaking with fury. Matter of fact, I am too. Who will do such a thing on the planet's holiday? I may be a dump in the head right now, but there's a line between being a pooper during a holiday and wrecking it for others. The sense of danger is still here.

"Everyone was gone out of Gaeriscelleh," a wolf says, "Who could've fought them off?"

The corpses look like they have been chewed up and ripped apart by something, possibly by another wolf that didn't go. Whatever tore them apart must've run by rapid and feral instincts.

"Bracus," I hear a voice calling out to him from further out in the woods. The voice is familiar, it reminds me of someone at home. It's not my mother; my mother has a thicker British accent while this was mixed. It sounded calm, but unrattled by the whole situation. Dominique emerges from the tree. She is wearing casual Earth clothing, denim jeans with a leather jacket hiding a t-shirt underneath. Her hair is messy and her face is covered in dirt...and blood. Nice to see her again, but I don't know if I feel happy about it or not.

"Dominique," Bracus walks to her and holds her hands, "What happened?"

Yeah, what the hell happened? Since when did you and Bracus begin dating? My gosh! My old wit comes out dryly. Not now, shoo!

"Teketa ambushed. I fought off most of them," she informs him, "Some of them are still here. The rest of them retreated."

And most of them died in the most inhumane ways possible.

He hugs her tightly. "I'm glad you're okay. Be careful. I don't want to lose you."

"I will be," Dominique assures, "These stringy nitwits don't scare me."

My hearing shoves its way into me. I hear branches rustling high in the trees. I look up and my zooming vision kicks in. Three Teketa in rocky armor, spying down on us. I can see their tendrils in predatorial stances, a lot more threatening than Slenderman. Well, Slenderman looks more proper. Dominique and Bracus converse while the others only hold their attention to them, waiting for Bracus's next move. I continue to stare.

I gaze at them again to see if they are not noticing me. They're not. Good. I decide to take out the remaining three, but first I need to figure out how to break the chains. I project mentally out of my body. To my inconvenience, there is no keyhole to unlock, no pattern, and no code to break the chains. Great, but I am not going to give up yet. It appears my only choice is to break them.

If Bracus wants me to use my powers, then so be it.

My hands spark, turning my hands and chains into a lightning fest, but all red. Good thing the chains are made of metal, it's a great conductor. I'm granted resilience against my own abilities. I pull against the chains. They make a rattling noise. I keep my eyes set on Bracus and back to the spies. Whenever he hears those chains snaps, he is going to go at me, so I need to think fast.

The chains crackle as they snap. All of their eyes dart toward me. I look back at the spies high in the trees. They are still there. Bracus charges at me. My friends are begging me to stop. I throw the chains at the spies at lightning speed, a speed that they cannot dodge. Bracus tackles me to the ground as the electrically charged chains hit the spies and the tree itself. The tree exploded upon impact. Everyone around it ducks and covers their heads. I feel my whole body press upon the ground as Bracus sinks his wolf-fangs into me, right into my neck. Sucks to be him, I can't feel them.

"What do you think you are doing?!" He barks at me very harshly, ready to rip more pieces of my throat out. His mouth oozes my own blood.

"Teketa was in that tree!" I said to him, "As a wolf, you should be more aware of your damn surroundings. They have been spying up there for minutes now!"

"We're Morphans!" He growls at me and corrects me.

"Whatever the hell you are!"

Bracus stops restraining and snarls before getting up. He orders his pack to explore the area of that poor tree. At last, they did find the baked bodies of the Teketa. They were, in fact, spying. I will give him the benefit of a doubt since wolves-Morphans don't fly, but the faeries do. Vampires and the dark elves seem to go up in that height as well. Who do they think that spies will be on the ground?

Bracus doesn't put me back into chains again and orders me to go back home under my friends' supervision. He will have our home guarded in case of spies and in case I escape. Markus takes another unoccupied room in the second story of the house. We all await in a strange silence.

I decide to break it for once, "What happened when I was out?"

"Blue Star Festival," Ivelisse says, annoyed, "I told you about it earlier."

"I've heard. Anything else?" I really want to get to the bottom of this. Mostly, about Dominique and Blathnaid.

Ivelisse glances towards Dominique, "Since when you and Bracus were a thing?"

"Almost about a month now."

"Is t'at w'y you were gone because you've been bangin' Bracus?"

Dominique glares at Ivelisse. "No. I was in the midst of transforming into a Morphan. The process began at our house after he touched my shoulder."

"So he transformed you wit'out your consent?" Ivelisse asks, concerned.

"It's a mate thing, much easier than a bite."

Another eye roll. Another sigh with a squashed chuckle.

"Bracus told us you were ill," I told her.

She shrugs. "He didn't quite lie. Transformation isn't easy with insomnia and ravenous hunger."

God, I wish to kill with that type of transformation.

"So are you comin' back 'ome with us, Dom?" Ivelisse asks her.

"I don't know," she answers with a shrug. She appears undecided.

"Awww," she lowers her head, "T'ere's another."

"Ivelisse," Blathnaid warns while folding her arms. Her voice sounds of a frustrated mother now.

"What's going on with you?" Dominique asks Blathnaid.

"Lady Ourdera announced that I would become Queen of Evanity without asking me about it first," Blathnaid says with resentment.

"Seems quite sudden," Dominique comments, "But sounds like a great honor. Maybe you should try it?"

"I am not even queen material!"

"I am not on either side," Markus buds in, "Forgison explained to me that Ourdera runs so many planets. She ruled Evanity for billions of years and she wants to retire. She has seen empires made by Verantuvians themselves, seeing their potential, so she wants to give it to someone."

"But I am not Verantuvian, Markus," Blathnaid says dryly, "Why would she want to give it to an outsider, anyway?"

"To avoid heavy political outbursts in the community?" Markus assumes, "You've seen it on Earth. Hehe! America."

"It just seems weird that she gave it to someone she doesn't know."

"Per'aps, s'e does," Ivelisse comes in again, "S'e 'as been observin' us w'ile I was possessed... Sorry."

The conversations last for a while. There are so many things going on, so many things about to happen. They are not pretty, but not so bad. Blathnaid is elected as Queen and Dominique is Bracus's mate. I do feel glad for Dominique, but my mixed feelings are undeclared for Blath.

It's been a long and exhausting day. Week. No, several weeks,

But I can't sleep yet.

The guards requested my presence. Bracus wants to see me at once! All my friends look at me without emotion. They know my time has come. Kill me...

The guards don't put me in chains, but surround me with weapons in case I try anything. I can't help, but laugh on the inside. I am not going to try anything because of one, my friends. Two, I don't know this world. Three, I don't feel like it anymore.

My punishment is either going to be labor or imprisonment. I doubt it's going to be executed because I can't be killed. If Bracus is wise, he could put a non-resurrection spell on me and end my suffering. I honestly hope he does. We enter the room, but the guards don't leave.

He is dead staring at me; his whole head doesn't move from me. I don't give an awkward laugh, smile, and wave. I respectfully honor him with a nod.

"Naomi Lorraine McKelsey," he begins.

I am pretty much in for it now.

"Eve to Ourdera, you slaughtered multiple soldiers during training."

I nod in remorseful silence.

"And you fled the scene. Soldiers do not run from fear, nor battle itself," he tiles on.

I am not a goddamn soldier. I am a drafted one, forced to battle. The ones that try to run are forced to get back to the front lines, to fight, and to possibly die. I died multiple times and I didn't receive my honor badge, only an eternal draft. I wish I could spat all of this into his face, but he would probably add contempt of court to my list.

"You were found near the Jurusai Hot Lake with many swords impaled to your body by Markus. It was alleged you've tried to commit suicide," he says with a cold distaste. That was bottomless shame and guilt to you, on top of trauma from Netedinark. I nod, restraining myself from saying, yes, your honor.

"What you did was disgraceful," he remarks.

My mouth opens to protest, but I slap it shut. Killing is disgraceful and suicide is a sin, a taboo, in many religions, including Christianity itself. I guess it's a taboo here too.

"After many hours of pondering and discussion with soldiers, I have come up with a punishment."

Okay, say it then.

"Based upon observations, you will continue to train. You strictly need the practice to focus without causing a ruckus. That's only part of it. Since you've found spies in the trees. Your job is to disguise as one and spy on Teketa as his soldier."

You arsehole. I don't want to go near him at all.

"You will update any plans. If he wants to act so arsenic, he will get it. After everything is done, you will work as a servant to me and Gaeriescelleh."

Oh! Come on! When do I get to go home? War and being your damn soldier already is already hell to me. I am not a hero! I am not your military toy! You put me in servitude. You better make it temporarily. The only positive thing I can muster about this is that you didn't punish me to become your mistress. Dominique wouldn't be happy about that. I would be my head into a rock like a pickaxe. 

"Anything you have to say, Naomi?" He finally asks me. I know things I will say may be held against me, but I don't care.

"I do apologize for killing your men. I realize that ending my own life won't resurrect them. I should've been smart and just resurrected them on the spot. My condolences to you, Bracus... I'm sorry... I do have a question though. How long will I remain as your servant? Please specify... And did you see what he did to me before we were sent to this world?! I don't want to go near him again!"

"Hard feelings, what he has done to my people is more than what he has done to you. If we succeed, you don't have to go near him ever again. As for the servant thing, you will be released whenever I see fit," he replies grouchily and possibly with a grin. I can't even tell since he hides it.

I feel like I am falling forever, despite my wings and I am standing in place.

He is going to put me through a life sentence. 

What do you all think about Bracus now or any other character now?