Immortalis - Book 1 (The Keeper's Immortals) (31 page)

With my heart racing, with every ounce of energy I had left in my body I turned the katana so that it faced my body. It was long enough where I couldn’t even use the handle - my hands were on the blade. I could feel the katana slicing into my hands slightly. I was crying but it wasn’t from the pain that I was causing myself or what I was about to do. I was crying for the pain that was being caused to everyone by everyone else.

With one last look into Blake’s blue eyes, which suddenly looked up at me as if he could read my thoughts, I closed my eyes and pushed the katana into my stomach. Rather than being jolted open my eyes eased open, almost as if I was at peace and I was. I was ready for this and I knew that by doing this I was saving everyone including the people that I loved, both mortal and immortal.

The blood started to pour from my wound; my head became light. Rather than falling to the ground I remained standing somehow. I stood there looking out at everyone, over everything and realized that everything had paused. Once my blood had trickled down, hitting the ground I heard nothing. It was as if a layer of ice had been placed over everyone, they had stopped mid battle. Everything was quiet even though I heard whispers within the crowd. It was like I was under water, everything was muffled.

“NO! NORA!” Blake said as he ran towards me. To him it was going full speed but with me he was in slow motion. As soon as he reached me I collapsed in his arms. “Oh, what have you done?”

“Don’t…don’t take it out.” I told him as he grabbed for the handle of the sword.

“You’re gonna be okay though and we need to get it out.” He said, trying to force his words through emotions. He was trying not to cry but it wasn’t working though I was the only one who could see.

“I’m not gonna be okay.’ I told him just as Jaryn joined him next to me. ‘I knew that there was a loop hole…” I said as I gasped for air.

“Nora don’t talk, you’re gonna be okay.” Jaryn said. Not listening I continued to talk, explaining the method to my madness.

“If the Chosen One is ready and gives up their own life for the sake of the Twilight then there will be a thousand years of peace between both sides. I did this for everyone. I…I didn’t want anyone to die. I couldn’t stand the thought of either side having to su…suffer.” I explained. Both Blake and Jaryn were speechless as they looked to each other then back down to me. Unsure of what to say, whether to thank me or call me crazy they didn’t say a word. I watched both of their faces turn sad, their eyes glaze over. I closed my eyes while being held by Blake, Jaryn’s hand on my head.

Twenty Three

Nora didn’t open her eyes again.

She, Blake and Jaryn were all transported back to The Keepers chambers. Slowly the three keepers glided towards the two Hollings who had been brought back with Nora. The three brothers, the keepers of the Immortalis curse stopped while looking down at Nora’s body with great sadness in their faces.

“She hasn’t passed yet brother, there is still time.” Cade advised Ozlem.

“Good.” Ozlem stated while his eyes were kept on Nora who although was barely breath, was also unconscious unaware of what was happening.

“She doesn’t have long though. She has lost a lot of blood.” Cade added. Ozlem turned to his right, held his hand up and without blinking a clear coffin like box appeared. Inside the box was the body of Adam. Thinking he knew what they were planning on doing Blake suddenly jumped to his feet after gently laying Nora’s head into Jaryn’s lap.

“If you planning on doing what I think you’re doing then you can just stop because she doesn’t want it!” he announced with a firm tone through tears. Nora was the one person who made me him weak, venerable and emotional. With Nora he knew what it was like to love another who wasn’t a brother or a sister, the love of a mortal and he knew that with mortals came death which is what Nora was prepared for.

“And what makes you think that you can stop us?” Lieka asked in a snide tone.

“You promised her! You said that if it were up to you then you wouldn’t turn her.” Blake continued to argue. Ozlem put his hands up to Blake in hopes of curving his temper and allowing him to talk before blowing up like all of the Hollings were known to do.

“Blake my boy, the deal was that she would only be spared if she said no to being changed at the time that it occurred. Clearly she cannot speak for herself and no one else can answer for her.” Ozlem explained.

“But…” Blake started but was stopped by Cade.

“And her journey is not yet over, you know this. You always have.”

“She started and ended the Twilight with her life. What more could there possibly be?” Blake roared.

“The Chosen One is something of great responsibly, something that she might feel overwhelmed with at times but it is her destiny and she will know what to do with what comes at her in the future. You must trust us that we know what is best for times are changing and this is when we need a savior.” Cade explained.

“But…”

“Blake, you knew this.” Cade repeated, making Blake step down suddenly. Jaryn looked at his brother and then back to the creatures who gave him a second chance.

“How can you? There isn’t anyone who will give up their life for her.” Jaryn asked then looked at Adam.

“We took Adam’s body after Cade felt life force fade.” Ozlem said.

“He can’t be alive still. His heart was ripped from his bloody chest!” Blake asked wondering how everything was going to play out.

“Lieka has persevered his essence, which is what is needed to give Nora life once again.” Ozlem finished. Neither Blake nor Jaryn said anything and with the tears flowing from his eyes Blake stood back, retreating into his own guilt for allowing them to do what Nora didn’t want. 

Hours passed without word from the others. Blake and Jaryn were both focused on to task at hand without thought of their siblings or the other immortals. Time seemed to move at a mortals pace during a time when they needed to know answers. Both sat back to back in the middle of the main chambers, not talking just thinking and wondering. “Did you know brother? Did ya know what she was planning on doing?” Blake asked Jaryn.

“Why would she have told me rather then you?” the youngest Hollings stated.

“Because you might not have tried to stop her as much as I would have. I mean…” Blake’s words trailed off in hopes that he hadn’t already upset his brother.

“I know what you meant Blake and you’re probably right.’ Moments of silence went by again until Jaryn perked up to ask another question. ‘Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“I hope so but to be honest I’m worried that if she does make it through the change then how is she going to take becoming immortal? She didn’t want it.”

“I was wonderin’ about that? What was that whole spill earlier?” Jaryn was confused because no one other than Blake, Nora and the Keepers knew that there would a time when she would be immortal. 

“When Nora and I came back to Medina, alone, she had asked The Keepers why could see the entrance to the chambers. They explained that one day she would become immortal as well. The only catch was that they didn’t know who would do it, The Keepers or The Gods.” Jaryn was shocked by Blake’s words. No one else had any idea on that conversation that had been left out.

“So that was why she could head them callin’ us too eh?’ Blake nodded. ‘Why weren’t we told about this?”

“I don’t know actually, just never came up I guess. We had fought about it, I wanted her to change but I was being selfish, wanting to her to be with me forever. After taking her feelings into consideration I understood her reasoning”. Silence filled the room again. Soon they finally heard a door open, two large wooden doors that dragged across the dirt floor. Both Hollings men looked up in anticipation as they saw Lieka walk through the doors. He nodded once with a hint of a smile, telling them that it was time.

Once they had made it to their feet, something they weren’t sure they could do at the moment, they followed Lieka down a long corridor and into a large room where there in the middle of the room was a bed. On the bed was Nora, looking as if she was sleeping. She wasn’t breathing but then again she didn’t have to now. Blake sat beside her on the bed, stroking her cheek gently before kissing her on her lips. With that touch she suddenly opened her eyes as if she was sleeping beauty and he was prince charming.

“Nora, you’re awake!” he said with both relief and delight. Behind him Jaryn smiled for the same reasons.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in The Keepers chambers. I’m so happy that you’re okay.’ He kissed her again but as he looked into her eyes once he had sit back up he knew that he had to tell her and hope that she would take it well. ‘I need to tell you something…” his words stalled, unsure on how he could tell her such a thing. The last thing she wanted, other than the death of anyone was to be immortal, even if it meant she had to give up being with Blake.

He admitted only to himself that he was scared but he would be strong for her. He had to be.

Epilogue

Hera, Zeus, Ares and Eros were sitting, waiting for the damned to walk through their chamber doors. The battle was over and they were not victorious which made their blood boil. Emmalee walked in front of the Gods with her head down with shame. She stopped, still not looking unable to out of fear of what they were going say; going to do.

“Emmalee?’ she heard Hera say but still refused to look into any of their eyes. ‘Emmalee you will acknowledge when spoken to!” She roared her green eyes now red with anger. Emmalee looked up after telling herself to such it up and face her fate.

“Hera please forgive me for not doi…” she said only to be interrupted by Hera, her voice filled with rage.

“For not doing what you said that you could do! You said you knew who the Chosen One was and where the katana was but you didn’t, did you? If you did know them you would have gotten the sword a long time ago!”

“I know but I did know who the Chosen One was. Conner saw a long time ago but I didn’t know where the katana was. I searched for countless hours but she hid it so well, where I couldn’t find it.” She explained to Gods who didn’t want to hear her excuses.

“That sounds like a personal problem Emmalee.” Ares said in a cocky tone as he relaxed in his chair.

“Please…” she started but didn’t know what else to day.

“We don’t want to hear it Emmalee.’ Hera said bitterly. ‘You’re alone in this quest and you will have to face the consequences alone as well.”

“Alone? I wasn’t alone. Both Conner and Lucas helped me every step of the way.” Emmalee preached only to have her words dismissed.

“Both Conner and Lucas are gone as well for their role in it but they were not forced to leave. They left on their own out of shame of knowing that they had failed us as you should.” Eros added into the conversation.

“What is my punishment?” Emmalee asked in a mousy tone with some tiny hope still that they wouldn’t be too harsh on her.

“You are banished!’ Zeus said. His voice sounded like thunder in the night sky. Emmalee’s head jolted up in shock, not believing that they would go as far as to banish her for something that she had no control over. ‘You lied to us, you failed us and now you shame us. Your powers will be taken. Also you will never grace our presence nor will you be allow to step foot on Mount Olympus again.”

“But…”

“There is nothing you can say to rectify your wrong doings Emmalee and be grateful that you have anything at all. Now leave now and never return!” Hera snapped as his pointed her long, crooked finger towards the door. She did as she was told like a puppy that was in trouble and being set outside into the cold.   

Once outside in the chilly evening she vowed then and there that she would have her revenge on the Hollings, all of them and luckily she wasn’t alone in her mission.

©Marisa DeMaris