Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux (32 page)

Seux turned to Sasha and said, “Repeat after me, with this ring, I
thee wed.”

 

Sasha held his hand and whispered to him very lightly as she put
the ring on, “We can wait if you need to.”

 

“No. I love you,” whispered Omar. It was the first time he had ever
said it to her but he meant it with all of his heart.

 

Then Sasha still looking concerned repeated the words, “With this
ring, I thee wed.”

No sooner than Prince Seux said, “I pronounce you man and wife,”
had Omar felt Thanatos take full control of his body. His body jolted as if
trying to reject the fact that two people were occupying it. Omar’s hand
reached for the knife he had tried to kill Thanatos with.
He had me put it in
my pocket!
Omar’s arm shot up as if in public display that he was going to
kill his new spouse. Omar fought with everything he was but Thanatos’ sick
and twisted will was too powerful. Several people flew into action. An
arrow streamed from a balcony and shot straight through his hand that was
holding the knife forcing the knife to fall to the ground to make a clanging
sound.

Thanatos let go of control of Omar’s body and he began to fall to
the ground exhausted from the fight for control, but several people caught
him including Sasha. He saw the look of love on her face.
At least she still
loves me.

SO MANY EMOTIONS WENT THROUGH KASEY as she first saw
Myles. She was one of the maids of honor so she could not tackle him with
a hug as she wanted.

Something odd was going on with Omar. He had acted anxious
from the time the ceremony started but that was to be expected at a
wedding. After he had seen Misaki it seemed to escalate though. He wasn’t
anxious, he was worried.

A bright light flashed in her face. She looked to where it came from
and Myles was using a mirror to bounce a reflection of light from above in
her face. She looked over at him and he whispered. The weird thing was
that there was a draft that carried his words straight to her ears. “Misaki
says that Omar is in distress. It’s not just the wedding. Something is very
wrong with him. Just be vigilant and ready to act.”

She nodded in response. She watched Omar and the crowd. Myles
seemed to be strategically placing people at all of the exits. There was a
Katken he sent near the entrance. By the elevator was a young Yaarma with
a dinosaur hidden behind him.
A dinosaur?
And there was a Daqad who had
the marks of having come from Musterion on him (he had rock formations
on his knuckles and joints). Myles was either preparing for a battle or
waiting for someone to flee.
What does he know?

She studied Myles, he had a different look about him. He was very
calculating and purposed. He was less… chaotic.

 

Then she turned her attention back to Omar who was trembling
and sweating all over while whispering to Sasha.

MYLES WAS HOPING this would go differently. He was returning
Omar’s long lost sister to him. Misaki had told him something was very
wrong with Omar. On a day that Omar should be happy or maybe a little
nervous, he was afraid. Myles had never seen Omar afraid. He had always
seemed very courageous to Myles.

He had set his team at all of the exits and he was ready. He had
even warned Kasey. But the most dangerous person in this room was
Misaki. She was the Empress of an entire continent and through his journey
bringing her back she was able to show him what a Dreamer who was a
follower of the Shepherd was capable of. She had no limitation. Myles took
confidence in having accepted the Shepherd but it did feel good to have the
Misaki on his side. Myles was finally on the winning team and in the right
place. No matter what happened Myles knew he was in the right hands.

Omar drew his hand up in a stabbing motion with a knife in his
hand.
What?
Then a shaft, an arrow shot straight through Omar’s hand
sending the knife to the ground. Myles looked back to see Queen Elizabeth
on a balcony shooting another arrow. He traced it to its destination. There
was a man on the groom’s side of the ceremony that stood in the best
man’s spot. The arrow clipped his shoulder. The man reached out and a
shadow tentacle grabbed at Queen Elizabeth.

Myles had brought Charli. She pinned the man down to the
ground. Shadow tentacles started to grow out from him. And for a moment
darkness filled the room. Myles tried to cancel it out but was not successful
then Misaki yelled out and the light returned.
She molds this world in ways I
can’t.

Kasey looked to Myles who was drawing close to the man that he
was almost sure was Thanatos. She unsheathed a sword with a blue glow
and tossed it to Myles. He caught it and immediately knew what it was.
Thanatos screamed out as Myles approached with sword in hand.

“No, not that. It will kill me. I see you Myles, you are no murderer.
You follow the Shepherd. You can’t hit me with that, it will kill me or at
least this form. I don’t really know what it will do and neither do you so put
it down and just banish me,” said Thanatos.

Myles stood over Thanatos and put a hand on his head. He was
going to pray him away as Kasey had in Musterion. He took his hand away
and took another look at the man. Myles shook his head and stood up with
sword in hand. Kasey stood by him looking down at Thanatos.

Myles looked around the room to see Magi fighting Magi. Some
were under the control of Thanatos. Myles’ team was quickly neutralizing
them. Caleb was fighting with his pet dinosaur at his side. Owen had snuck
up between two Magi who were fighting. Misaki had paralyzed an entire
group of Magi who were fighting each other. Sasha was helping Omar to his
feet. He clutched his hand and looked toward Thanatos in fear.

Myles looked back down at Thanatos who was still being held in
place by Charli.

Then Myles said loudly so that Omar could hear, “No, you have
caused too much trouble and hurt too many people doing irrevocable
damage. You are not a man but a fallen angel in direct opposition to
mankind, the Shepherd, and the Creator. This is not murder but a casualty
for the other side in the battle for the souls of mankind.”

Then Myles thrust the sword into Thanatos’ chest and he
disintegrated.
16
War

Later that night Myles sat with Kasey and told her everything that
happened. There seemed to be no anger in her. She just hugged him and
held him tight weeping for his loss. She was shocked to find out about the
powers that both Misaki and Myles had. Myles tried to teach her but she
didn’t want to know.

"Life is simpler with me having to trust the Shepherd to take care
of me. That much power is too much for me. I would seek out and do my
own will," she said.

Myles nodded, "Of course."

 

Kasey then told Myles everything that had happened with her since
they had last seen each other.

 

Myles was shocked, "So you are now the general of all of the
armies of the Seven Kingdoms?"

 

She nodded.

 

"That must weigh heavy on you. I was King of one Kingdom and
that weighed very heavy on me," he said.

 

She shrugged, "The Shepherd makes my burdens light."

"Kasey," he said, "I know that we are destined to marry but I need
some time to heal. I must return toTanniyn’erets. The Shepherd has some
work for me there but that will only take a few months’ time. Then I will
come back. I promise to find you and we can go from there."

She sighed, "What is a few more months, right?"

 

He laughed, "You are a lot calmer than the last time I saw you."
"Much has changed," she said in a matter of fact tone.

 

Myles smile, "For the better."

 

She smiled back, "Yes, for the better."

SASHA WAS SHOCKED at how quickly Omar's hand had healed.
Omar's explanation had only disturbed her more. He was just coming down
from his anxiety attack.

They both looked over the balcony at the city of Caelsis.

 

"I must acquire more power," he said with some desperation
showing to his new wife.

 

"Why? What will power do for you?" she asked.

 

"It will lower the chances of that ever happening again. I must
protect you and Misaki."

 

She rubbed his back, "Misaki and I can fend for ourselves. It is you
that we are worried about."

"Well, I must protect my Magi too. It seems the Order of the Magi
will be under attack from the dark forces of this world. I am willing to do
that which you guys can't. I can use darkness against the darkness. It is
something your beliefs won't let you do," he said.

"What darkness are you talking about?" she asked.

He shook his head, "It wouldn't be a secret if I told you, my dear."
GENERAL KLAUS RETURNED TO THE PENTAGON. All day he sat in
meetings but there was one meeting in particular that he was dreading. It
was a meeting about failure. He had failed to stop Dr. Metzger’s project as
he had been ordered to.

The General did not know when or where the meeting would take
place. These such meetings were always private and while some were in
the back of a limo others were surprises at his home. He walked back to his
office. He waved off his secretary who tried to flag him down, entered his
office and shut the door behind him.

“You failed,” said a familiar voice.

 

His tall leather chair was faced away and that was where the voice
came from. The chair slowly turned around to reveal Haylale.

“Do I need to remind you who made you who you are? Who
helped you climb the ranks of the military? When I found you, you were no
one and soon you will command the United States Army. You are one of the
most powerful generals in the world and I only asked that you stop one
scientist’s project. Was that too much to ask?” asked Haylale.

General Klaus stayed silent. He knew there were no right words.

Haylale shrugged. “It's ok. I still have use of you. I am going to pull
some strings. Tomorrow you will enter Musterion with two thousand
heavily armed soldiers and seven nuclear warheads. You will have secret
orders but in those orders you will be told to secure the throne of
Musterion with a thousand of those soldiers and take the other thousand
into Soterion to destroy the Magi from inside their tower. This battle will
kick off my war and last attempt to secure Soterion as my own domain.”

General Klaus bowed his head.

 

“I will not be helping you for I am far from my full strength but by
the time you reach Soterion, I should be ready,” said Haylale.

 

General Klaus grinned, “It will be a massacre.”
Haylale smiled, “And Omar and his Magi will be no more.”
INDEX
A

 

Adam (aw-dawm): Adam are a human race with a strange culture and
religion peculiar to their kingdom (Suchikos).

 

Akana (A-kaw-na): Akana are the scholars of the Malakadam and are
said to be the most brilliant creatures on Soterion and Musterion.

‘Am
-Mayim (Ahm-Ma-eem): These are humanoids who live within the
waters. They can breathe
above and below surface water through gills and may move within the
waters with the use of webbed digits.

B

Battle of Epher, The (Eh-fur): The location of a battle in which all of the
kingdoms of Soterion met an evil race of dragon-like creatures called
Drakoni, Epher is located in Loefel Meren where the Kingdoms of
Drakonge, Loefel Meren, and Marasimlah border each other. Hundreds of
thousands were killed.

C

 

Calesis (Cale-sis): Known throughout the Faerie Kingdom, this kingdom is
home to Nepsah, Remmy,KatKen, Haspen, and ‘Am-Mayim.

 

D

Daqad (Da-Kawd): Daqad are small humanoid people who were once
considered cousins of the
Adam.

Drakonge (Drak-onge): Drakonge is a kingdom in Soterion that used to be
inhabited. Now it is barren desert and mountains, dominated by its most
impressive peak, Mount Drakonge.

E

 

Emerailda (Em-er-aleduh): Soterion’s first kingdom which would later be
called the Emerald Forest.

I
Emerald Forest: Soterion’s densest and largest forest range, it is home to
Remmys and Yaarma.

F, G

Gabad (Ga-bawd): Known as travelers and trend setters, Gabad emit a
glow from their body which matches their mood. The distinctive feature of
all Gabad is their purple skin and their wings.

H

 

Haspen (Has-pen): Haspen are the evil kin of Nepsah; they have all the
same abilities except for flight.

 

J, K

Kalat (kah-lot): Kalat are an evil race of beings who dwell underground.
Their skin is stark white and hair black. Green mist emits from their eyes.
Kalat are also naturally surrounded by darkness.

Katken: (Cat-Ken): Kat-Ken are wily and mischievous cats that walk and
talk;

 

L

 

Loefel Meren (Law-ful Mer-in)– One of the seven Kingdoms where the
Malakadam live.

 

M

 

Malakadam (Ma-la-ka-dawm): The common race of all Miyka, Yaarma,
Gabad, and Akana

Magi: (Maj-eye): A guild of individuals who commit to performing amazing
feats; a
reclusive group who make Caelsis their base of operations

Marasimlah (Mara-sim-la): This kingdom is the home of all Daqad.

 

Miyka (Mee-ka): Known as the most beautiful race on Soterion, Miyka let
off a white or yellow glowfrom their body.

 

N

 

Nepsah: (Nep-sah): Nepsah are tiny creatures with iridescent wings,
pointed ears, a large appetite, and quirky personalities.

 

II

 

P

 

Philos (Fye-Los): This kingdom is home to the Raphad and Showrad
races. All other races are more than welcome to call Philos home.

 

R

 

Raphad (Rah-fawd): Giant humanoids that can reach up to 25 feet tall

 

Remmys (Rem-mees): One-foot tall faeries. An eclectic culture which
normally wears animal skins and mushrooms for hats.

 

S

Showrad (Shower-odd): Also known as the Showradam is a large
humanoid creature, approximately twelve to fifteen feet tall, with hooves
for feet, three fingers with thumb, and a head resembling that of cattle.