As Darkness Falls by Riley Storm

Chapter Ten

Ileft Aaron behind and walked down the Field of Gods, staring up at the carved statue of Amunlea that rose above all the others. She rose tall and majestically. As an empress should be.

“Why me?” I asked the smooth-featured, stone woman I approached. “Who am I to you?”

Her statue remained still, implacable, and lording over everything. In her right hand was a sword, the point resting on the ground next to her feet. A tiara was affixed to her head, the only sign of royalty present on her carved figure. The rest spoke of a queen of warriors. A wolf sat on her left, the entrance to the temple located between the two figures.

No response came, nor had I expected one. Since that moment in the chamber, the call had remained quiet, my mind empty. Perhaps it was on purpose. This time, I could truly appreciate the majesty of the building without focusing on anything else.

Except what it all means…

In my mind’s eye, I pictured what it must have been like a thousand years or more ago. The Field of Gods full as worshippers streamed into the temples to offer their prayers and priests gave their blessings. The smell of incense would have filled the air, each person knowing, without a doubt, that they were doing the right thing. Worshipping those godly beings who existed.

Now, there was but one left, I thought sadly. All the others had perished over the years. I couldn’t imagine what that must have been like for Vir. To live on while his brethren all died, killed by powers unimaginable. I mean, they’re gods. What does it take to kill one of them? I couldn’t begin to comprehend.

Nothing changed as I entered the temple itself and slowly walked the halls. They had been split up into large sections, each one carved with a different image depicting some scene or battle. I didn’t know what any of them meant.

At last, I entered the domed chamber at the heart of the temple. This must have been where ceremonies in Amunlea’s name were performed, given the carved runes and the sheer magical power that had been released when I’d called upon it. There was nothing else it could be.

Yet, that elusive powered remained dormant. Beyond even my ability to sense.

“Am I no longer worthy?” I asked the chamber, staring up at the domed ceiling, wondering what all the runes meant. “Did I misuse your power? Is that why you no longer call to me?”

Predictably, there was no response. Just more questions. They seemed to be piling up. The last nine months of my life, ever since my Soulshift, had been nothing but questions. Answers had become a thing as elusive and non-existent as the gods had been up until a few days ago.

Maybe there’s still hope to get some answers then. I just have to wait a thousand years!

I snorted. “I’m probably not even special. Anyone could have come in here and wielded that power, I’ll bet. That would be the cruelest trick. Making me think I’m special, that it wasn’t just random.”

“It called you.”

I shrieked at the sudden voice, whirling around and backpedaling.

“Vir’s, uh, I mean, your Oath,” I snapped. “You can’t do that, man.”

“Do what?”

“Sneak up on people like that. You have to give them some warning. My heart can’t take it. I’m already on edge about everything else. I don’t need to start having panic attacks every time you show up unannounced.”

“Sorry.”

He didn’t sound sorry, but I let it go. There was something more pressing that I needed to ask.

“What do you mean it called me?” I asked.

“It wasn’t random.”

“You don’t know that,” I said.

Vir’s eyes seemed to glow a bit brighter. “Do not forget that I am a god. I know some things.”

“Maybe,” I said cagily. “Maybe not. You don’t know how to sever our Soulbond.”

“No,” he said heavily. “I don’t. As you keep reminding me.”

“Suck it up, princess,” I said hotly. “You aren’t the one being passed around from person to person like your Soulbond is the candy bucket on Halloween, okay?”

Vir didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure if it was out of respect or indifference. Probably a bit of both.

“I’m scared,” I said.

I wish I hadn’t. It was a momentary weakness, thanks to that damn Soulbond. It had pulsed gently inside me at the right moment, doing just enough to bring my walls down, enough that the words slipped out. I hated it. But now it was out there, and there was no taking it back. I would have to see what Vir had to say about my confession.

“I–I understand,” Vir replied in an odd tone. “I can feel it.”

“Feel what?”

“Your fear,” he said, tilting his head slightly, staring down at me. “I don’t like it, Dani. I want to make it go away. I want to make it stop.”

Something clicked in me at the way he was talking. Perhaps it was the slightly confused undertone or the narrow furrowing of his brows. Maybe it was a vibe I was picking up from our Soulbond. I didn’t know what it was, but I knew the answer to my question before I asked it.

“Vir,” I said. “Have you ever felt emotions before?”

“Of course,” he said. “But only some. More like instincts, perhaps. Like my drive to protect the Direen. The instinct to fight for Amunlea.”

“Is that it?” I pressed.

He thought. “There was a sense of satisfaction, I think you might call it, when I would spar with other gods. Humor was one when we would laugh and smile. I know that one well. Those were simple things, though.”

Vir looked at me wide-eyed, a mixture of astonishment and, though I doubted he would ever admit it, a hint of fear.

“I never realized how deep it went with you mortals,” he said, exhaling a slow breath as he spoke.

Perhaps that explained some of his actions. This must be a lot to take in for a god. For a thousand years, he’d known nothing but war. Before that, he’d been a god among other gods. He thought he knew everything. Now here he was, forced to learn and experience and feel, possibly for the first time in his immortal life.

He must be scared as well. I’d never stopped to consider his side, but it made sense that Vir would be on edge. Trying to come to terms with things that had been nothing but concepts to him. Things that he was experiencing firsthand through our bond.

“It must be highly confusing,” I said. “All this ‘feeling’ stuff.”

“A little,” Vir admitted.

I almost apologized. Almost told him that I was sorry for the way I’d treated him since our last visit to this chamber. He deserved it, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. My anger at the situation was too strong, I think.

Or perhaps I’m just too shallow. I don’t know.

However, the one thing I did know was that I hated the feeling of my future not being in my control. That someone else was choosing not only who I would become but also whom I would do it with. And whether Vir had done so intentionally or not, he’d bound himself to me, and that made me angry.

“What do we do next?” Vir asked quietly.

Next. Next. Why does everyone keep looking to me for what’s next? You’re the god here, dude. Don’t you know?

Except Vir didn’t. He’d not been to Earth in forever, and besides, he was a god among mortals. He wouldn’t know what to do. He was mostly along for the ride. And as Aaron had made clear, I’d hired him. Which made me in charge.

“Next,” I said quietly. “I don’t know, Vir.”

I looked around the chamber, remembering the swirling energy, the power running through me. The pain.

“Why is it so different? No power. No energy. No call from this place. Why?”

“I don’t know,” Vir said. “I have been asking myself the same question, but I have yet to come up with a good answer.”

I turned to look at him as one of the memories in particular flooded my mind. “Tell me. How is it that you were able to use the energy? Instead of being harmed by it?”

“Because,” Vir said quietly, “I was born of it.”

“Of it?” I asked.

“Of Amunlea,” he elaborated. She created me, her champion. That energy was hers.”

“But I thought you said she was dead. How the hell did I use it, then?”

“I don’t know,” Vir said, a familiar phrase for him lately. “But I think we need to find out.”

Before I could respond, footsteps sounded at the entrance. I turned to see Aaron. He looked…excited. Which meant that a strand of hair was out of place and his clothing had a wrinkle.

“I think we might have found something,” he said, his eyes darting to Vir before returning to me with an unreadable emotion in them. “Come look at this.”