Empyrean Born (Origins Book 1) Read online

  “Mmhm,” I mumble, licking my fingers with an audible thsp.

  “Babe.” With a smirk, he walks up to me and wipes the corner of my lip. He sticks his finger in his mouth and definitively states, “Okay. Yeah, that’s good.”

  I consciously have to close my mouth. Gabe never indulges.

  He shrugs. “It’s got fruit in it,” he rationalizes, turning and heading out. “We have another assignment already, and we’ll need to leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

  I groan. “Ugh, we just got back. It can’t wait or be given to someone else?”

  He glances sideways at me.

  I sigh. Of course not. This is the reward for being the best. More work. Less down time.

  Once we finally reach the floor of the forest, my ass is tired and I find myself wishing for the comforts of my bed again. Thankfully, it’s just a short walk to the Council’s hall along a well-worn path. I spare a quick glance back at the market in the opposite direction. There are a few Empyreans going about their day like normal, but given the lack of usual commotion, I can only assume most will be heading to the hall to witness the judgments. Internally, I grimace. It’s lost on me why so many view that as entertainment.

  The grass that once grew in sporadic patches has long since vanished. Trees, taller than any in the human world, line the sides, guiding the way. Other Empyreal homes are situated up within the canopy of trees on either side of the path, but most are deeper into the woods. There are walking bridges between them at varying heights, connecting them into smaller networks of what could be considered neighborhoods. As an Enforcer, my home is strategically nestled close to the Council’s hall and the Resurrection Pool, as are all other Enforcers’ homes. Not only do we require the Pool’s energy more frequently, but we are also charged with our world’s security and well being and need quicker access to the Council, whether we want it or not.

  As we near the Resurrection Pool, I feel an almost physical tug toward the structure. Together, my soul and the power which resides within me are restless and fidgety, aching to be revived.

  The Pool is where we go to restore our diminished powers. It’s a place of reflection and, more importantly, renewal - something we crave most when we’re away from home. If one doesn’t visit the Pool regularly, their souls and power become emaciated. When our bodies begin destroying our power, the effect is excruciating. It’s different from either form of Transmogrification in that our power tries to live by draining our souls. It takes so much energy to keep even the faintest flicker of magic within, that our minds interpret the exertion as pain.

  There’s no name for it when our bodies begin that sort of decay, as no one in their right mind would ever put themselves through such prolonged agony. Should this happen, there is a point at which all that can be done for the individual is to send them to the human world for the remainder of their life. There, they can live out their final years free from any sort of pain. The only other option is to end their suffering with a Dissolution weapon, an act of kindness which is usually begged for by that point.

  There’s just one thing that’s more painful than the decay of one’s soul, something I happen to know firsthand. To be the bearer of said death is to carry that burden for the rest of your life. Seeing as though we’re essentially immortal, that's a really fucking long time to be haunted by a single act.

  No one, not even Gabe, knows of the ghosts that torment my troubled mind.

  “Hey.” Gabe’s voice causes me to come out of the loathsome memories.

  “Yeah?” The reply comes out distant, and I grab the hilt of my father’s blade at my side in an effort to ground me.

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. Let’s just get this over with,” I answer as we enter the hall.

  The massive, circular room never ceases to impress… and intimidate me. The stone walls are hugged by layers upon layers of moss and vines. It was once the Great Hall of Elders, but after their departure to Praeteritus, it became the Council’s. The twelve equally spaced seats are raised on huge platforms tucked against the outer walls that encompass the entire room. In the seats are the members of the Council, looking tired, bored, and grim. Only one seat is vacant, and we all know who will occupy that chair. Although he’d never admit it, he rather enjoys making a grand entrance.

  The slivers of light pouring in from the small rectangular windows high above their heads cast odd shadows throughout the large room, making it difficult to clearly see who is present and who is late. The countless candles hanging from enormous chandeliers make the air in here stuffy. The sensation of wanting to run out of here screams inside my head every time I enter, but I manage to suppress it.

  This is where the judgments are held.

  Too many bad memories.

  Gabe and I take our seats while others continue to shuffle through the vast entrance. As the highest-ranking Enforcers, Gabe and I sit directly below the empty seat. Some women in the audience sneer at my attire; they think I’m not feminine enough.

  Perhaps I should show them the lacy thongs I whip out for special occasions. Their assholes would pucker so tight they wouldn’t be able to sit for a week. Prudes.

  For the most part, all of the others - men and women alike - gaze upon me with nothing but respect. As I continue surveying the crowd, my eyes catch the other two female Enforcers who slightly bow their heads. Even Zane’s partner, the blonde bimbo Ashryn, who seems to care more about her followers on social media in the human world than doing her job. There’s an unspoken bond between the three of us as the only female Enforcers. We may not like each other well enough to dine together socially, but we respect one another. Mostly. Honestly, I do think Raynia and I would hit it off and could become friends. But… there’s just something that holds me back from forming any other close friendships. After all, Gabe is the only one in my life who hasn’t left me.

  It’s not but a few moments after we’re settled in that someone bangs a drum to announce the entrance of the Chancellor, the head of the Council, a crotchety old man named Othorian. His white beard is nearly as long as I am tall. You’d think he would trip over it, but with one swoop of his hand, he swings it over his shoulder as he walks.

  There are many rumors surrounding his age. All other members of the Council appear rather youthful despite the fact that their ages date as far back as the Elders, long before the human world and most of us in this room were born. Othorian is no exception, but the reason his age appears so advanced is because he is the only one of us that has ever come back from Transmogrification. No one knows how, and I doubt anyone would have big enough balls to ask. He lived many generations in the human world before whatever phenomenon occurred to allow him back into ours. It’s rumored that the trip back through the portal is what made his beard turn white and grow as long as it is.

  Othorian claps his hands, bringing the room to attention. When he sits, the muffled sounds of everyone following suit echos around the room. The Council members simultaneously raise their hands, palms up, and after a moment, the room is flooded with so much light, it’s as if the roof has been removed. Their parlor tricks are no different each time we have these meetings, and my fascination with them has long since passed.

  I use the few moments before everything begins to scan the audience consisting of other Enforcers as well as spectators who have nothing better to do. Judgments are the main attraction, you might say, coming after the Enforcers report their findings, including who broke what laws. We give facts, provide evidence if requested, and then it’s on to the ghastly and archaic entertainment, which I don’t care to stay for. I’ve seen enough of them in my lifetime and refuse to voluntarily sit through any more. A necessary evil they may be, but holding them in a public setting serves little purpose other than to frighten Empyreans into compliance.

  As my eyes roam over the crowd, an odd sensation hits me, the feeling of being watched. I’ve presented at enough of these meetings throughout my long years as an Enforcer t
hat I’m no stranger to being the center of attention, but this is different. A shift in the air, making my power anxious and uneasy. It’s… heavy, almost tangible. All at once, I’m on edge and begin to shift nervously. My hands begin clenching and unclenching, one grabbing the other and twisting. Casually, I turn side to side, trying in vain to find the eyes that are upon me.

  “Babe,” Gabe whispers beside me. “What is it?” he asks, almost as if he’s on alert, too. Which I suppose he is given how strangely I’m behaving.

  “Someone’s watching me,” I whisper back, not taking my eyes off the crowd.

  Othorian’s voice reverberates in my ears. “Gabriel and Valkyrie.”

  My breath becomes shallow as panic begins to grip me. I’m suddenly claustrophobic and dizzy, finding that my legs won’t work when I try to stand. Thankfully, before anyone notices, Gabe rises and delivers our report. His words are lost in the air before they hit my ears as I continue trying to spot whoever is causing this kind of a reaction. I hope Gabe makes this short because the last thing I need is someone to notice I’m having an episode… or whatever the fuck is happening. My vision starts to blur just as Gabe finishes and sits down. There appears to be just two more to go before we can leave.

  He reaches over and takes my hand in his, the simple touch enough to calm my breath and ease my racing heart, and my legs to tingle as if they’d fallen asleep and are now waking.

  The moments tick by painstakingly slowly, and I notice that Gabe is also scanning the room. Thankfully, we hear Othorian announce the break while they prepare for the judgments. Gabe and I stand, quickly making our way to the exit before anyone can stop us to chat. Zane, a fellow Enforcer and friend, catches my eye from across the crowd, and we politely nod at one another as I grab Gabe’s arm and hurry him toward the door.

  Just as we’re about to leave, my eyes land on a tall, gangly man who is standing motionless in the shadows, staring with such an intensely creepy look on his face I immediately pull Gabe outside. Away from his presence. I’ve never seen him before, but there was something about him, something more… sinister that I can’t quite pinpoint.

  “Talk to me, babe. What’s going on? I didn’t see anyone suspicious,” he says as the fresh air hits our faces.

  I deeply inhale, but it does little to quell the feeling of nausea rolling through me. I don’t know how to explain to Gabe that, aside from the ghoulish stranger, it felt like… my father was watching me.

  “I’m going to be sick,” I manage to say as I run behind a tree lining the pathway and retch.

  I understand it’s impossible for him to be here; therefore, my reaction is completely irrational. But knowing what I do about my father, seeing him wouldn’t be something I could handle.

  Gabe comes running around the tree, concern furrowing his brow. “Val,” he whispers, taking my hand and helping me stand up straight. “Let’s get to the Pool,” he says, gently leading me the short distance through the trees to avoid any prying eyes.

  When we’re inside, I’m relieved to find that no one is here. Just as I suspected. Ordinarily, I’d be disappointed that so many of us were willing to watch such a spectacle, but today I’m grateful. I don’t want anyone seeing me like this. It would invite too many questions that I wouldn’t be willing to answer.

  The Pool is located down several flights of stairs within the chamber. Tucked into the earth, the natural spring is deep, the water clear. The ground cradling the basin thrums with power which calls to mine, and I release an audible sigh. Simply being here dispels the dizziness and settles my insides. My soul is becoming peaceful, while my body struggles to keep up with the shifting sensations.

  Gabe and I walk down to the landing and around the perimeter. Stopping under a stone archway leading to one of the many alcoves lit with candles, he begins taking off my boots. Despite feeling better, I still have to reach out to the nearest pillar to remain upright. His hands work quickly and expertly as they untie the belt holding my vest closed. My stockings are next. Beginning at the tops of my thighs, he works them down over each leg. Once I’m free from all clothing, his eyes scan over me before scooping me up. Clearly something in the way I look must alarm him because he doesn’t even bother undressing himself before he wades into the water, with me in his arms. Although the energy in the air is caressing my soul, I have no ability to ask him what’s wrong.

  The water’s cool touch makes me feel whole again. It’s like the first breath of life because, after all, this is how we Empyreans come into the world. Right here in this very Pool. Its power comes not only from the earth and air, but from the purity and newness of life.

  Slowly, Gabe releases me, and I glide through the water, the magic within me surging the closer to the center I get. My tattoos awaken, softly glowing under the surface, pulling the power from the water inward. I drop my head back, soaking my hair, and with a small exhale, my body releases all of the tension it’s been holding onto. I slide under the surface and sink, deeper and deeper, so far down that I barely see the ripples dancing along the surface. Here, we can breathe underwater, the power filling our lungs with air.

  I continue sinking into the darkness, the only light coming from the faint glimmer of my tattoos, until at long last my soul is sated.

  Terrestrial Plane

  Present Day

  The minutes on the clock are steadily yet slowly ticking by. I’ve been awake for hours. Lying on my stomach didn’t work, which was foolish to even try. Who the hell can sleep on their stomach? I didn't have much luck on my side either, so now I’m staring at the damn ceiling, making mental notes of where the paint is cracked and peeling. This hotel isn’t necessarily better than any of the others, but their beds are and they’ve got coffee in the lobby twenty-four seven.

  Shifting my head on the overstuffed pillow, the pad of paper on the desk catches my eye in the sliver of blinding light coming from the bathroom. I’ve heard the theory that if you write down your thoughts and get them out of your head, your mind will settle.

  It’s worth a shot. Yet even as I rise and plod over to sit at the desk, I can’t help but be pessimistic. I’ve tried this before, but nothing seems to soothe my mind, with its web of knowledge and turmoil. The human world is a mess right now, more so than ever before, and I’m not sure what to do about it other than catch the one behind it all and send him to face judgment before the Empyrean Council.

  But another question begs to be answered. How to ease the humans’ minds? Scrolling through all the memes and social media posts, most are convinced something is behind all the craziness. They should be at least granted the knowledge that things are happening for a reason. And that someone is doing something about it. Maybe then they’ll be able to sleep at night.

  Someone should be able to sleep, anyway, I think as I glance at the clock.

  Flipping the lamp’s switch on, I blink a few times in the onslaught of light.

  But how to start? Maybe I just need to be direct. Blunt. Knock their fucking socks off, as the humans like to say.

  Grabbing the hotel’s notepad and pen, I begin writing.

  I know what you humans are thinking. That this whole year has been one fucked up joke after another. Wildfires, a worldwide pandemic, people stealing and hoarding toilet paper, earthquakes, zombie tropical storms, disappearing waterfalls, land hurricanes, murder hornets, and too many more seemingly inexplicable events to name. The year 2020 has, indeed, been a fucked up one.

  How do I know this is what you’re thinking? Because I’m walking among you. What’s more… you’re really not that far off.

  One of my kind has taken it upon themselves to defy everything we stand for and wreak havoc within your world. The human world. They’ve broken our cardinal rule of not interfering with your existence. To be clear, we’re forbidden from any actions that may interfere with the course of life as you humans know it. And while, at any given time, in any given year, one could argue some pretty crazy things have happened, 2020 has proven to be s
o bizarre that it raised our suspicions. Discovering seventeen new species of spiders within just the first few months of the year? Or killing someone over wearing, or not wearing, a face mask? Something that should never be considered acceptable or normal.

  Admittedly, humans have been killing each other off for as long as your kind has drawn breath. You seem to be on this unstoppable trajectory toward wiping out your own existence. You hate and fight, all because someone doesn’t believe in what you believe in. You judge and condemn.

  Stopping for a moment, I reread, thinking about the harshness of my words. I quickly scribble out that last sentence before putting the pen to the paper once more.

  At this point you’re probably wondering who the hell I am to judge or condemn mankind. That’s fair. I’ll gladly tell you. While it’s true I have no say in what happens to mortals, I do have far more knowledge on the subject and will clarify some things.

  In case you hadn’t already guessed, not all who walk among you are human. Portals can be opened between our worlds. We can and do cross planes, though you humans cannot. However, there are many of us who have chosen to remain in the human world over the years. I’ll give you one guess why one would consciously make this choice. But for those like me, who are not quite as well versed in such things, I’ll tell you. Love. One of the emotions that defies all logic and reason.

  Despite that particularly arbitrary reason, I can’t say that I entirely blame them for wanting to stick around such a cushy, if not dirty and noisy, place. There are a number of appealing things the human world has to offer.

  The influx of my kind into your world presents another potential issue. Those who have chosen to remain with the humans have also blended blood with them. Our blood and the blood of man have become diluted by one another’s. It’s yet to be determined what the consequences of this will be, but for now, one problem at a time.

  So how did you humans and your world come into being? This is a somewhat loaded question, but I’ll simplify as best I can. Two of our kind, known as Creators, opened a portal to a clean, albeit empty, slate and did what they do best - create. Since that time, resentment has grown among some of us. Many believe there is irrefutable evidence that humans are single-handedly destroying this world which was created for them. For you.