Leaving the dark ones in Snow Lily's care, Dásos left the makeshift medical room. Cresil glared at him as he passed, angry that the Primordial had the nerve to leave Keshiema behind. Understanding Cresil's frustration, Dásos said nothing, continuing down the hallway in silence.
Hiro raised his arm in a faint effort to stop Cresil from starting a fight. The action pushed the Impure over the edge. “Get off me!” He pushed past the Kitsune as he spoke through clenched teeth.
“Cresil stop! You’ll get yourself killed!” Hiro stepped in front of Cresil this time, hoping to bring him to his senses.
“Step aside, Hiro.” Cresil's eyes radiated with power. “That's an order.”
The statement itself meant little to Hiro. He had no problem disobeying an order to save Cresil's life. The radioactive aura forming at the edges of Cresil's eyes, however, proved enough to make Hiro listen. He valued his own life too much to ignore the warning.
Seeing no point in delaying the inevitable, Dásos turned around. Cresil charged him, pinning him to the ground and wrapping his hands around the Primordial's throat. “You piece of shit!” Cresil punched Dásos, leaving little more than a scuff on his face. “How could you leave her?” A single tear sizzled as it streamed down his cheek.
After a deep breath, Dásos threw Cresil off, slamming him into the wall. After getting up and dusting himself off, he grabbed the dazed Impure by his shirt and stood him on his feet. “If I had brought her here instead of the Dream Walkers, what do you think she would have done?”
Cresil imagined the outcome. The devastated look in Keshiema’s eyes, the betrayal seeping into her heart, the outbursts of rage, and the demands to retrieve those left behind. His heart sank, knowing he would not have had the strength to obey her wish if it were him by her side.
“If you don't mind, I'm gonna be on my way before I decide to hurt you.”
***
Stolas took a deep breath, doing his best to stay calm. The news Dásos brought angered him and he had nothing readily available to take it out on. He thought of trying his magic on the Primordial, but managed to keep his temper in check long enough to realize it was a bad idea.
“I can’t interfere with the battle, even if Kesh is involved.” Worn out, Dásos sat on an old wooden crate. “And even if I could, I’ll be too weak to teleport until sunrise.” He had wanted to murder the king for some time for his atrocious crimes, but now he had an all new reason to want the beast dead.
Pyro cleared his throat, making his presence known as he entered the store room. “Is there nothing we can do? If some of us loaned you our aura, perhaps you could bring someone to her.”
Although the Fire-Daemon's presence annoyed him, Dásos managed to keep a respectful tone. “I can't interfere. That includes aiding anyone else. Besides, Uvall is the only one able to loan me strength and he’s currently tapped out.”
An odd sensation washed over Dásos as he turned and walked away. He gained a large amount of information in a small amount of time. The Tree of Life spoke to him, as did the other trees of Ethera. One in particular gave him an odd message. ‘I have a nice what?’ The onslaught of knowledge from Etherian trees gave him hope.
***
Light shot out from Keshiema's eyes, blinding Adramelech. Throwing her to the ground, he stumbled back, blinking repeatedly to clear his vision. In the time it took him to regain himself, she managed to stand up. The cuts on her arms and stomach healed before his eyes, enraging him. Summoning his sword, Adramelech charged at Keshiema.
Still dazed from changing realities, Keshiema struggled to grab her swords from her destroyed belt. Her freshly healed arms felt heavy and sluggish as she pulled the dual kodachi from their sheaths.
Raising the swords, she managed to block Adramelech’s downward strike and jump back. Refusing to relent, he charged again, keeping her on the defensive. Each strike she blocked reverberated in her body, rattling her bones.
Knowing he outmatched her, she tried to search for the exit between Adramelech’s swings. Her heart sank when she found the way out blocked by a large group of royal guards. No one dared interfere with the battle, but they would slow her down if she tried to escape. Another option caught her eye.
Sidestepping a heavy swing, Keshiema ran towards the stairs leading to the roof, grabbing her belt on her way. Reaching out, Adramelech caught hold of her hair.
The razor sharp strands of Keshiema's hair shredded the king's hand. The subsequent bellow echoed through the garage as he recoiled, blood trickling from his hand. Sprinting up the stairs, Keshiema made it to the roof in record time, refastening her belt as.soon as she reached the top. Running to the edge her heart sank. The fall would kill her if she tried to jump.
***
Dásos held his head as it throbbed from the sudden onslaught of knowledge. A loud crash broke the somber atmosphere, sending Stolas and Pyro into the hallway to investigate. “It came from the med room.” Dásos said.
Concerned for his mother's safety, Stolas raced through the crumbling temple. The door to the medical room stood ajar and Hiro and Cresil were absent from their post. Stolas entered the room with Dásos on his heals.
Cold air seeped into the room from a broken window. Ayperos stood, carefully watching his balance. “Brother.” With a stern look from Snow Lily, he sat back down on his bed. “Ipos has left to aid Keshiema.”
“How will he find her?” concern filled Stolas' trembling voice.
“He's her guardian, he knows where she is.” Snow Lily hugged her son tightly. “Let us pray he is fast enough.”
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***
Heavy pounding grew steadily louder as Adramelech made his way up the cramped stairwell. Keshiema waited above the exit with her swords drawn. When he finally burst through the door, she attacked him with a flurry of swings. She guided him toward the edge of rooftop, hoping to knock him over.
“That's enough!” Adramelech grabbed one of Keshiema’s swords mid swing and took her neck in the other hand. Ripping the sword away from her he threw it over the edge of the building. He hardly flinched when she embedded the other into his outstretched arm. Laughing, he pulled the blade out and tossed it as well. As she reached for her dagger, he grabbed it and let it join her other weapons. “Poor child. What made you think you could defeat me?” He snarled at her, tightening his grip around her neck. I can’t believe I spent so much time worrying about that stupid prophecy.”
Slamming her to the ground, he pinned down her legs with his body and held her wrist in one enormous hand. He looked over her petite frame, admiring her gentle curves. The wounds he inflicted earlier left only faint scars. Frowning, he traced over the pink lines delicately with the back of hand. “Your skin is soft.”
Disgusted by his touch, she fought and struggled to break free. He moved his hand to her face, stroking it gently. “I may not be able to fully enjoy you, but I’ll still make it so you never forget me. Your soul shall forever know my touch.” A tear escaped her as Adramelech clutched the collar of her shirt. “Should I take this slow? Or I could shred your clothing quickly, revealing your body all at once.” His hungry eyes darkened. “Maybe I could remove them as I work my way down. Either way, your entire being will know my touch. Nothing about you will be hidden from me in the end.”
An icy chill ran through her body; the hairs on the back of her neck stood in end. Break her hand free, she grabbed hold of Adramelech’s wrist. He laughed as she struggled, willing her powers to obey. The king leaped away from her, clutching his now frozen arm. “You wretched woman!” reaching out, he summoned his sword. Before he could attack, a dark blur dived from the sky, knocking the king back.
Baring his claws, Ipos stood defensively between Keshiema and Adramelech. “Keshiema, here!” As soon as she was on her feet, Ipos tossed her a sword. Without questioning it, she unsheathed it, discarding the scabbard.
Keshiema knew the weapon immediately. A ruby-eyed golden dragon head made the hilt and microscopic sapphires formed flames on both sides of the blade. The sword was remarkably lightweight for its length, making it easier for her to use compared to similar weapons. Smiling at Ipos, she took a fighting stance, gripping the hilt with her left hand.
Adramelech jumped at Ipos, but the demigod leaped into the air, avoiding the attack. While Adramelech turned to block an attack from Ipos, Keshiema swung at his back. Unfazed by the cut, he dodged Ipos’s attack, grabbed his arm and threw him into Keshiema. Ipos managed to untangle himself and take flight with Keshiema in his arms before Adramelech attacked again.
Pain exploded in Ipos's chest, then his left wing, followed by his right leg. He crashed to the ground, barely managing to keep Keshiema safe. Carefully getting up, Keshiema stood over him. “Damien, are those sunstone arrows?”
Tearing the arrow from his chest Ipos grimaced “yeah.” He thanked his lucky stars the arrow missed his heart.
Kneeling down, Keshiema hastily inspected the wounds. “I’m pulling these out. Its gonna hurt.”
“I trust you.” His words crushed her. She wished she felt the same. Without another word, she cut the arrow in his wing before pulling it through the exit wound. He gritted his teeth, doing his best to stay quiet.
Adramelech’s heavy hoofbeats pounded down the stairs, each thud sending a shockwave of panic through her body. “Damien, look at me.” She placed a hand on his cheek, calming him down. Looking deep into her eyes, he reached up and put a hand on her cheek as well.
As they stared into each other's eyes she ripped the arrow from his leg. Before he could cry out, she covered his mouth with one hand and healed his wound with the other. The amount of blood told her she nicked an artery.
The stairwell emergency doors burst open. Though the bleeding slowed, Keshiema ordered Ipos to keep pressure on the wound. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. Her aura escaped through her breath, condensing to create a dome of ice around Ipos. Turning around, she faced Adramelech. The fire in her soul clashed with her icy aura, fighting to escape.
Several soldiers rounded the corner of the building, stopping when they saw her and Adramelech facing off. One of the soldiers held a bow while the others carried swords. Adramelech charged as the archer drew her bow. The shield of ice she placed around Ipos pulled on her aura as the arrows struck it. Keshiema parried Adramelech’s attack, striking him in the chest as he jumped back. Blood seeped from the shallow wound, giving her a small amount of hope.
***
It had been a few minutes since Ayperos awoke and the commotion had nearly settled. Merihim waited in the hall for his men to come out. The room was too small for so many powerful creatures.
Upon seeing Merihim, Cresil immediately knelt at his feet, with Hiro following suit behind him. “My Lord, I beg your forgiveness, but Ipos has left. He said Keshiema is in danger, took Hiro's sword and flew towards Denim.”
“Thank you, Cresil.” Merihim turned away.
“What about the sword, my lord?” Hiro swallowed the lump in his throat before continuing. “Will I not be punished?”
Merihim looked over his men with a sorrowful heart. “There will be no need for that, soldier. The sword is going where it needs to.”
“Thank you for your merciful kindness, my prince.” Relief washed over Hiro.
Merihim walked away, turning his back to the warriors. As he passed a dark corridor, he spoke slowly without facing the eavesdropper hiding in the shadow. “Uvall informed me several days ago of this possibility. I immediately sent word to the human rebels. There is currently nothing else we can do.”
With a disappointed scoff, Dásos stormed off.
***
Sounds of a raging battle drifted on the wind, barely audible from the bottom of the small ravine. Swords clashed heavily, loud popping echoed, and battle cries and screams filled the crisp morning air.
Another arrow struck the ice shield. Pulling from her aura, the shield repaired itself. The spark in her soul raged, demanding to be let loose. Pushing the fire down, she leapt forward, attacking Adramelech again.
Using her speed to her advantage, she kept Adramelech on the defensive, swinging at him relentlessly. Her flurry of attacks slowed when the pull on her aura increased. In the corner of her vision she saw the swordsmen swinging at the ice shield. Adramelech took the opportunity to knock her back. The spark in her soul responded to the blow, furiously engulfing her spirit in an inferno.
Embers formed in her aura as the fire took over her soul. Wispy shadows joined her iridescent purple energy, a manifestation of the dark nature of her Primordial essence. Adramelech took a step back, a hint of fear showing in his eyes.
Testing her speed, Keshiema sprinted forward, coming up behind Adramelech. The fire showed no sign of slowing her down this time. With an upward swing of her sword, she sliced his back. Turning around, Adramelech clawed at her. Jumping back, she barely avoided his swing.
Keshiema worried about Ipos as the king’s guards continued to attack her ice shield. The draw on her aura increased with each strike. She knew if she cut the ice shield off from her aura her chances of defeating Adramelech increased, but that meant deserting Ipos. As she launched another attack on the king, she wondered how much longer she could even keep the shield linked.
Small flames shot out from her sword, dissipating when it met Adramelech’s blade. The spark cried for more power, begging her to abandon the shield. The energy around her unarmed hand warmed and the embers coming from the nearby aura seemed brighter than the others. As she remembered the power she used in the king's castle, Keshiema's resolve started to falter. She wanted to defeat Adramelech as soon as possible, and abandoning her icy protection over Ipos seemed to be the only option.
Six "normal" teenagers. One impossible mission. Infinite evolution under red skies...
NEMESIS, Chase, Stella, Theo, Emily, Oscar, and Andre are exposed to an extraterrestrial element called Primonium—unlocking abilities only the rarest humans, known as Primes, can possess. NEMESIS plans to unleash Primonium into the atmosphere, creating thousands of superhumans and using them to reshape society on their own twisted terms.
Atlas Corp., a private military organization dedicated to stopping NEMESIS, the teens are thrust into a world of danger, espionage, and powers beyond their imagination. As new Primes, they must master their abilities, trust each other, and confront a rising threat that could kill millions.
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