Realms Beyond

Greeting Death

The next morning, before Myre woke, we were gone. The silver monster knew what to do about Myre, and I hoped she wouldn't take the news too harshly. She would think I'm dead. I needed it to be that way, at least for now. I hated what that would do to her, but that was one thing I could not solve.

As soon as we were far enough from the pool and the house we stopped. Kaen hugged me close, and he kissed me, and I returned the caress, the wind holding us together. Then his grip found my arm and became as tight as a vice. He held my there, no longer my protecter, but my hunter. I had my powers, trapped in a tiny ball within my chest. I did not reach for them, even as the masters reached out from the earth and pulled us down into their lair.

"Half child, why are you not dead?" the darkness asked.

"I have an idea I want to ask you about."

The darkness materialized, swirls or bright light and shadow. The darkness was never actually the dark. That was just an idea the humans had started because they were afraid of the unknown. In the dark they could not see, and so expected the dark to prey on them. In the light they could see, and felt safer. They had named the light of the day after the light side, and the dark of the night after the dark side. The amount of light had nothing to do with good and bad.

A man stood in front of me, tall and pale, with white hair that reached past his waist. It was clasped back with a metal clip. The man wore black and light blue, with accents of metallic silver on his tunic and pants. He was in the shape and body of one of the native species of this realm, similar in appearance and customs as what people from home would consider an elf. They weren't called that here, though the origin of elves may have started from a bridge between our two worlds.

"What is it?" the dark elf master asked, exasperated. I had come to them before, met many of them, and create quite a havoc. He also knew I was powerful enough to kill him instantly if I so wished it. I had proven that last time, when I had kill one of them, and brought him back just before the balance was permanently destroyed. I had received a lot of scolding for that incident, but I was beyond the battles of light and dark now. This master knew to be wary.

"I knew I had to die sooner or later. Unfortunately, my hunter found me when I was weak. I was going to kill him, but I decided I'd do something different. I might as well get something out of dying, after all."

With a wave of the master's skeletal hand Kaen dropped my arm. I immediately sent just enough power to the bruise to repair the damaged cells. As I did I continued talking, giving them the impression that I didn't even notice I was doing such a thing. They could sense I had hidden the rest of my power, so this would seem like I had more power than I actually did.

"I thought about dying, and realized that if I died my half sister would be left here. I don't know what her permanent residence would mean for the realm. I'd much prefer her back in her realm where she can't get into any mischief while I'm gone. So I thought, instead of killing my hunter and spending the last of my energy to send her home, why not do something with a twist. Either way I'm going to die. This way, my lovely old hunter here can go retire in some old cabin in the woods and my sister can get back safely. And I'll be out of the balance."

"Why would you want to be out of the balance?"

The dark master saw no positive for me in this. As far as he saw it, I was here as a trick. I had to convince him otherwise. I had to act like I held more power than him and didn't know it.

"I've seen what is to come. My next task will give the light masters more power than you could possibly counter. They believe that if they have been given an opportunity such as this, then they will profit greatly until your next move. But I see the truth. You have no moves left."