When I became aware, I wasn't awake. It was like I was stuck between that point of full sleep, and awakening. I was not conscious of my surroundings, or where I was. I was aware, but I was not. I felt sluggish, slow and dull. My companion was the darkness, it wasn't really bad, but soothing, comfortable, like a cloak.
But my darkness was not empty, I wasn't alone. Jason was here, and even though he's not said anything in the time I've been here he has been a stellar companion. He was my companion.....right? I couldn't be so sure what he was, I knew he was not here to hurt me, and I never offended him before.
"You should remember me! You should remember us!" he accused me with bitter words
This was the first words he had spoken in all of the time we had been together. But how much time has that been, where was this place anyway. Strange, I had the feeling that there was something that I'm supposed to know, something that I'm supposed to understand, but what?
"But I remember you, you're Jason right?" I defended absolutely sure that I never forgot him in the first place.
"I'm Jason...that's true! I am Jason. But who are you?" He asked back, looking to be in even more of a conundrum as I was.
"I'm Kael, that's who I am, remember." I answered back with a careful tone, suddenly afraid. Of what, I had no idea, but the fear was there.
"No you can't be Kael, who's Kael?, you're wrong. You cant be Kael, you're me. You're Jason!" He shouted suddenly looking very frantic.
"No you're the one who's wrong!, I can't be you. I can't be anybody other than Kael, I am me! Who the hell are you?, get out!"
What was I afraid of, I was pretty sure it was the boy in front of me. Everything about him screamed of a life, a scenario and a story I had to accept, something that I really didn't want to do. It was weird, but looking at him made me feel hollow, and regret, and pain, and loss. He was making me feel all kinds of wrong, and I didn't want it.
"You're Jason, you're Jason! YOU'RE JASON!!!"
And it kept on repeating over and over and over, again and again. Why? Was it true, I was not Jason, I was just Kael, and I wanted him to leave me alone. Why wouldn't he leave me alone, he should disappear, he should go behind a big iron door and never come out again. As if in response to my thoughts a huge iron door appeared in the darkness, and it began to open, exposing itself as a maw into an even deeper and darker abyss. Glowing white crystalline chains shot out from that abyss and wrapped themselves around Jason's body. Then he looked up at me.
"You're locking me away? Why?"
"Its not my fault, you wouldn't leave me alone. It's not my fault."
I had no idea who I was trying to convince, was it myself, or the helpless boy I was condemning to an abyss. He never did anything wrong, he was me.
" But Kael...….I'm you." He said in a pleading voice.
"No You're Not! YOU'RE NOT!! GO AWAY"
And then the chains pulled tighter and began to drag him through the door to oblivion. But just before he disappeared he said to me.
"If don't find out who you were, who I am...…..then you will never know who you are, or who you'll become."
Then the door closed with a bang, and I lost sense of my being once again, falling into a deep sleep as his words played and replayed themselves in my mind.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
THE PIT
THREE MONTHS LATER
GREEN DISTRICT MARKET
THE NEXUS BAR
ASHA YSMIR LEONA COR
This was ninth time I was asking myself this, but I still had no answer. What the hell am I doing here. It would have been a different matter entirely if I came to the Nexus for a drink or to bother Bob. But I was not here for either of those things, I was here because I was invited, invited by Cornelius Daneaitani.
"My thanks lady Asha for agreeing to meet me. I know you would be very busy taking care of the hero Kael in his moment of needs. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to see him like that, my sincerest condolences and that of the one god belongs to you."
"He's in a coma Cornelius, not dead. So please do me the pleasure of getting straight to the point rather than wasting my time with pleasantries that does nothing but irk me."
I left enough anger in my voice for him to know I was not really In a pleasant mood. In fact I was never In a pleasant mood. Being pregnant even if it's not showing yet, does things to your body, and to me, most days I feel so angry I want to tear everything I see apart. Today was just one of those days, and Corni here was someone I really, really wanted to hurt.
But Cornelius here was not without his charms, charms that make me feel like I swallowed ash, but charms none the less. To be honest I never though there was someone else in existence who could talk just as good if not better than Kael, but here I am, standing in front of a vampire who could sway the heart of any vampire man, woman, and child, whipping them into an intense frenzy that see's them hungry for blood and war.
With his arrival, the steady balance between all the forces in the pit seemed to have been broken, but I knew better. A man like this did not just have words as his strength, there had to be a power I could not contend with at the moment, not without putting Kael and the others in more danger than was necessary. What I knew about this shifty bastard, would be enough to cause mass panic and turn the entire pit upside down, it would create a conflict that despite my best intentions, will still work in the favor of this bastard and the people behind him.
"My lady Asha perhaps I can cajole you to enjoy a beverage with me as I enlighten you about the issue that had made me sprung forth an invitation to this humble establishment for your noble self."
Urgh! This was a serious amount of bullshit, and it was revolting. And I had neither the patience or the will to stand this.
"I'm not hungry or thirsty, so please for the love of the WAY, tell me why you called me here."
"Well while your refusal to enjoy a meal with me is rather disappointing I shall say what I have come to say. My purpose here today is to tell you about a vision I've had, and to deliver a message for our mutual, or should I say old masters. The one who gave you your freedom and permitted you just like they permitted me, to return to the pit."
I sucked in a wisp of cold air, but all of a sudden the entire atmosphere felt sick and disgusting. I knew exactly who he was talking about, it was the damn bastard who put this seal on me. The same person who's grandson used me in front of my husband to create despair and turmoil in him, so that the change could be carried out. I thought, or more like hoped that they had forgotten about me. But it seemed it was just wishful thinking on my part.
"What does he want?" I asked trying but failing to mask the anger in my voice.
Cornelius looks surprised, I think he expected me to be afraid of him, to tremble and shiver with terror at the very mention of his name. But that was no fault of his, the high weaver of the council of light was a man that evoked fear in the hearts of many. But for me, all he does is stoke the fires of my raging heart. I do not fear anything that lives, breaths, bleeds, and can be killed period.
"Before I tell you the message, I will have to entreat you about the contents of my vision as delivered to me by the one god. It is a vision of great burden that I feel I must share, as it very well involves the well being and safety of our hero Kael."
Something was terribly wrong here, I could not put my finger on it, but I felt as if I was being embroiled in schemes that would leave me and Kael in a very bad position. Just what was this guy playing at.
"I've had a vision of a great calamity and misfortune that's about to befall our hero, your husband Kael. And it's coming very soon. But the one god in his infinite wisdom has given me charge to save him, and he has also given me a method in which your husband could be awaken from his deathly sleep. But in order for that to happen, you have to hand him over to me, you have to give him in to the protection of myself and the congregation of the one god. I assure not only will we keep him safe, but we also wake him up, so that his destiny can be achieved."
If there was a horrified expression on my face, then don't be surprised, because there really was one. Apart from the fact that he did nit really tell me what this vision was about, I couldn't wrap my mind around it, there was no way in hell I was going to hand my husband over to this psycho, so what would give him the courage to call me here and tell me this obscene amount of bogus trash. I was not looking at the whole picture, but I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me, there will be time to let loose later.
"Is that all?" I asked with a straight voice and pointed gaze.
"Well, no…..but you have to understand...."
"No!"
My words were resolute. To be honest I think I surprised him by how I quickly recovered and took control of my emotions. He probably had a fancy speech prepared in case I flew into a rage, but that was not me. I was a lioness just as much as I was a snake. I take my time, and I strike when the time is right.
"I suspected you would say that, but not in the manner which you did. You have my respect lady Asha, but for what comes next, please know that it's nothing personal. But the high weaver has ordered you to be bonded to me, or you and your child will not live to see the end of the winter solstice."
The moment he finished speaking, I could feel the seal on my stomach grow painfully warm, as it began to pulse, having a heartbeat of its own. The most basic reaction for me would be to cry out in pain, Cornelius was certainly expecting it, probably as some sort of confirmation. But I kept on looking at him, as if all I was feeling was a cool breeze, and not the sensations or feelings of someone shoving a bucket of hot coal into my intestines.
"I understand this is not fair to you, but the command has come forth, and we both have to obey or there will be consequences, and in your own case double."
"Fuck you"
"Don't worry lady Asha in time you will be experiencing such pleasure, as soon as the bond between us secure and we're all connected to the glory of the hero. However in other to prevent any mishaps, I've taken measures to ensure you comply. And one of those measures is the securing of the body of your husband lord...…..urkkkk!!"
I couldn't help it, I punched him right in the face. The difference between a sealed vampire elder and an unsealed vampire elder was rapidly made apparent as more than half his teeth flew out of his mouth and his jaw became awkwardly dislocated. But it wasn't enough, I didn't feel like I got the angle on that hit properly, I was hoping to take off his entire head in one hit, and I missed terribly.
"You Hit Me!!, You're going to pay for this you miserable bitch. I'm going to take your husband away from an unworthy filth like you, and make sure you never see him again. When he wakes up you and the filthy spawn growing in your body will be erased, and he would wake to a world of people who would do anything for him, and won't betray him like you did. You DON'T DESERVE HIM!!!"
"SMASH!!!!!!!"
I had punched the table we we're sitting at, turning it's thick wooden frame to splinters. One of its broken piece looked suspiciously like a dagger that you can use to kill off vermin. The look in his eyes showed fear, while it was difficult to kill an elder vampire, the same could not be said for one that was sealed. His hands began to glow a violet light as a suffocating feeling filled the air, nice trick with light, but he was not the only one with power.
I drew upon my strength as a vampire, shadows began pulling at my feet as feral chants began to fly from my lips. I was not just a vampire, I was also a witch. And I was going to make sure this bastard knew the true feeling of being cursed, no one threatens my husband, much more so my child. But as I was about to advance I felt my heart beat and my breath hitch in my throat.
"I told you, you will pay for what you have done!" Cornelius cried out in pleasure at the sight of me holding my chest.
But I was not paying for anything, on the contrary I was very happy at the moment. Because that feeling came from the [Údāmá]. It was Kael, he was awake, and he was angry, he was worried and agitated. But above all, he was looking for me.