THE SAINTS HAVE FALLEN: CHAPTER 25 (Part 2)

The Saints Have Fallen is a YA Dark Romance Fantasy Novel written by Celine Mahadeo.

Novel. Fiction. Genre (Dark Romance Fantasy).

By Celine Mahadeo.

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BLURB

After being stripped of his title as a God and turned into a demon in the presence of his brother, Yuri was banished to earth to live amongst the humans whom he hates. 200 years later, a young girl shows up at his doorstep holding both his life and death in her hands whilst not having any idea of the power in which she possesses.

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Chapter 25 (Part 2)

Ana.

If a creature like Syn was afraid of what he saw, I am sure in God’s name wasn’t going into that. An uneasiness quaked within me. A numbness sored. The alley didn’t feel evil. It felt like… nothing. Maybe Grandpa was wrong. Maybe he had it all mixed up. Perhaps he meant I had to stay far away from this place. I took a step back when my back hit a rock-solid object. As I turned, a large wall rose to an indescribable height. The back door out of Quilt’s shop was gone. And there was nothing but an endless sight of red-bricked walls surrounding me. My only way out was through the alley.

Taking a deep breath, I walked forward. The further I walked into this alleyway, the darker it became. I should have brought my phone and used the flashlight. I even had pockets in my dress. I could have stuffed it in there. But I had the bad habit of forgetting my phone. Grandpa always told me I belonged to another era. One where phones were non-existent. The thought of him and his hearty laughter and the way he made fun of my strange mannerisms brought ease to the tension which swelled within my chest.

The darkness consumed me suddenly, and I could see nothing. I reached out my hands to feel if there were any objects before me, but as I kept walking there was nothing but icy emptiness. Had I walked into a trap? Dear God. Maybe I could turn back? I was about to turn when I tripped and fell onto something soft, thick, and silky.

Mud.

A subtle light glistened around me and illuminated when I fell. Cold, sludgy mud wedged between my fingers and onto my knees as I pushed myself up. My arms brushed against the thick green bushes and plants surrounding me. Where was I? This place. It felt strange. This wasn’t the forest I had left Yuri behind in. It felt tropical, aloof, and too far away. Crickets chirped in the distance as I noted the misty dark night sky ahead. It couldn’t be night already. I certainly wasn’t anywhere near the town of Cher again. The sky mirrored the colour of my hair, a deep and black darkness. Looking up, the stars winked at me through the cracks of the blanketed, thick, rustling, leaves above.

“Daughter of Earth and Blood, welcome.”

A woman stood before me, her hair an icy white much like the little girl’s but tumbled down, halting at the nip of her breast. A long satin dress melted onto her caramel-coloured skin. Her eyes were the reflection of the moon. There was this tranquil aura about her and yet, a warning of chaos. Her age, I couldn’t quite tell. When I looked into her eyes I felt as if I was swimming in ages and yet her outer appearance was no more than 40. I wanted to believe she was a Goddess, but there was something odd about her. Something different. When I was in the presence of Loraine, she felt eternally good and pure and I ached to be near her, held by her, blessed by her. But the woman before me, there was both a substantial about of darkness amongst her light. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run to her or far away from her. She smiled, a knowing smile.

“Who are you?” I asked as a speck of dusk began to slowly break into the sky, “And where am I?”

“No child, that is not the question you seek which fulfills your heart.” She turned so I can not the outline of her face, chiseled and neatly articulated. This woman was created to perfection. “Who are you is what you wish to seek.”

I frowned, confused at her statement. I knew who I was. Who I am. Ana Alois. A simple girl with a not-so-great past who’s trying to get by. I wasn’t going to allow my past to define who I was though. There were so many others out there who had awful experiences. The world didn’t owe us anything, and I contented myself to suck it all up and be better. Better than the ones who hurt me. I refused to cause that pain to anyone.

“Consort. Companion. Lover. Spouse of Death.” She turned to be, drinking in my confusion. “You, child, surprise even me.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I expected a wrathful thing before me and all I can absorb is pain and goodness oozing out of your soul.” She gave a little laugh. Her eyes flickered at me almost in approval. It was as if I’d done something extraordinary to gain her affection. Yet, I was anything but extraordinary. I was plain and simple, and quite presently a little hungry.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I spoke again, hoping this time she would.

“Ah,” she neared me. Her figure was tall and slender, and she smelt like the crisp air entangled with a refreshing about of greenery and sea with a tang of fire. It was strange to describe but she smelt like every element combined. “I am known as Murvista. Here they call me Mother Mur. Others call me the Silver Sorceress.”

“Here?”

She draped her long arm around my shoulder and ushered me to walk forward with her. At this time, the sky was giving birth to stains of pastels. We stopped before the edge of a steep cliff. As the fog cleared, an image revealed itself to me. One beyond anything I’d ever imagined.

“The Shadow Kingdom.” She answered as I blinked at the surreal large castle and its walls which bordered what seemed to be towns of civilization within. The walls separated the thick forests which loomed threateningly outside. The image was a far distance away, but from where we stood, I absorbed a clear view.

“I’d never heard of this place. Not even in stories.”

“You wouldn’t have. Only the Gods and Higher Evils would know.” With a wave of her hand, she effortlessly conjured an image before me with the air. There I saw what seemed to look like people- humans- rushing around, strolling, playing- no- they weren’t human. The colour of their hair was all white yet they looked acutely alike. “For every living being, there is its shadow. And shadows too, need homes.”

“Are they evil?” I suddenly asked, unsure of where that question abrupted from.

“Are all humans good?” She responded rhetorically. “I call it a mirror reflection. Who is good on the earth you come from, has a wicked soul here. And who is hateful there has a kind soul here.”  

I tilted my head towards her curiously, “So which outweighs which?”

She smiled in satisfaction, “You’d be surprised, child, it is balanced. The shadows. And I, our sole duty is to maintain balance. There is no rule nor restriction for us to ensure we maintain such.”

“There was a little girl with white hair behind me in the alley. When that demon creature Syn saw her, he paled. Why was he afraid?”

Her frown deepened and muttered to herself, “I hadn’t realized the Highguards have awakened so soon.” I vaguely recalled that was what he addressed himself as to Yuri in the forest. What did he mean when he said they were awakening? I parted my lips in question when she answered my previous question, whether one serves the Higher Evils or the Gods they cannot intervene in the cause of balance and order, or the consequences are dire. Only a fool would overstep. If we are present, they must retreat.”

“So then why am I here?”

Murvista turned to me, fully. Her eyes were as sturdy and firm as her words, “Because you seek answers, and I seek to ensure balance. And our goals, daughter of earth and blood, are in alignment.” She made a sudden tsking sound towards one of the trees when the little girl ran out from behind with a bright, unnatural smile and the leathered book in hand. She gave the towering woman before her the item and ran off quickly, down the slope of the hill which led back into the kingdom.

“Here,” she said placing it into my hands as if she couldn’t hold it for very long within her own. “It will all make sense. It will help you understand. The truth will come to light, and this must happen.”

I swallowed at her words. Could I trust her? The last person I trusted pulled a dagger to my throat. I didn’t want to feel betrayed anymore. I didn’t want to be tricked or lied to.

“Child,” she pulled me out of my thoughts as if sensing my confliction, “I am not compelling you to trust me, nor am I your enemy. I am not good nor am I evil. I am what I am, and what we do here is beyond human understanding. I ensure balance and order are maintained. If not, chaos spills everywhere, and that-” she stopped, fear swallowed her eyes as her pores raised, “That is far worst.”

Whatever she saw- for that split second, I felt it. I wasn’t sure how I did, but an icy shiver shuddered throughout my blood and bones. “And my answers are in this book? What kind of book is this?” I flipped the pages open and raised my eyebrows slightly, “The pages are all blank.”

She stared at the book in my hand and back at me ignoring my latter question, “The book adapts itself to whose hand it is in. Simply place your hand upon each of its pages and feel its energy shall be enough. The gates must be opened. It is time.”

“What gates?” I frowned.

“Of understanding and what must come to pass. I cannot hold you in my realm any longer, child. Place your hand on every page until you find your answers. You have more power now than you realize. You are not helpless.”

Her last words were firm and encouraging. If this book was my way of getting my answers, I’m not going to be a coward and ignore it. I pushed the cover open and turned to the first page, placing a hand on it. A sudden urge of energy shot through me. Energy that I’d never known existed within me. Something strong and powerful, so powerful it didn’t even feel familiar, so powerful that it could simply snap and kill me. And yet, it yielded to me. I controlled it.    

The dust raised before us and turned to smokey grey puffs of fog between us. I hadn’t removed my hand from the page. Feeling. Processing every inch of what I was experiencing. Murvista clenched my shoulders before the fog consumed us both, her words were solid and firm. “Without pain, without difficulty, then how can one grow? One is only stagnant without such. Do not succumb. It will make sense. It will. But you must not leave that town.”

Her parting words were a warning, a fear. For me.

I released my hand from the page to find myself back in the alley. Thunder crackled from the skies above as I did so. So loud and menacing that my heart staggered within its place in my chest.

A storm was coming.

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