First's eye twitched crazily as all three of my siblings stared at me. I gulped but refused to back down. I meant what I said, and I wouldn't take it back, no matter what. I loved Calli. I had made love to Calli. I would never betray that.
"You're," First said through gritted teeth. "What?"
"I'm in love with the daughter," I repeated firmly. "Her name is Calliena. We've been courting and dating for the last couple of months, and I am deeply in love with her." First threw back his head and laughed.
"You're in love?" he chortled. Then, he was serious. "You are Tel'mak. We don't love any but each other. We rely on only each other. What could you possibly know about romance and its love?"
"I know what I feel!" I hissed. "I love her!"
"Second." Now Third was chiming in, gentle and sorrowful. "You are Tel'mak. She is mortal. Even if you did truly love her, it couldn't be." Dread sank into my stomach like an anchor. It was my own fears, voiced by those whom I trusted more than any other in the world.
"No!" I said. "I'll find a way! I have to! I love her!!"
"Wake up, Brother!" First shouted. "You are letting emotion rule you! You are a Tel'mak! A Guardian of Ultima! And you will defend it from evil and its minions!"
"Not without Calli!!" I roared back. My anger poured into my Well, igniting it into a blaze that surrounded me.
"You would abandon your duty for a simple, mortal girl?!" First asked, incredulous. "Wake up, Second!!"
"I am not just the Second Tel'mak!!" I howled, near tears in despair and rage. "I! Am!! CHANCE!!!" My energy pulsed out unrestrained, and a storming aura of energy blazed out, forcing my siblings back. I could feel the energy bleeding from my eyes, making them glow white, and my symbol--the very core of my Tel'mak nature--gleamed and whined on my forehead. Suddenly, sigils materialized around me, and ghostly chains of amethyst energy shot forward to snake around me. My flaming aura retreated, though my eyes still glowed. I strained against the seal, making them creak and crack from my power, but more joined them and forced my energy to retreat further and further from my reach. After the third ones appeared, my eyes returned to normal. I panted hard, winded from shouting, and glared at Fourth. She looked away unhappily.
"What do you mean you are Chance?" First said. I turned my ire on him.
"She named me," I spat. "She named me 'Chance.'"
"And what is a name?" he mocked casually, brushing away its importance. "We have called ourselves names before and abandoned them soon after. The mortals call us quite a few names: the Shadow of Death." He gestured to himself.
"The Merciful Lady." He pointed to Third.
"The Ancient Sage." To Fourth.
"And you . . . ." To me. My mouth went dry. Don't . . . .
"The War God."
My blood surged in my veins in response. Memory and magic flooded me . . . .
Since the days of old, I have fought.
Every day was a call to greater challenge.
For battle and glory, blood and steel,
I live only for death and carnage.
But what is greater than to protect that most dear?
For this world, I would offer my neck!
I fight on all sides against a thousand enemies.
Death to all shadowy sects!!
YOU ARE READING
The War God's Wife
RomanceShe has no desire for marriage. Calliena has her hands full being the assistant in her father's clinic and keeping them afloat. Not that she hasn't had her fair share of suitors; she just never had any interest in boys looking for a pretty face or...
