Bleeding Demons: The Dark Bloods - Book III ✓

Chapter 18 - Talking to Flowers

Reyna crossed her arms and sighed. Umbra was as vague as ever.

"If you have something to offer, do it now. We don't have time for your empty words," Verden said.

Umbra slithered over to the fountain, circled its base, and stretched its head to droop over the fountain's polished top. "You remember the story of the earth's creation, correct? How demons gave their life and magika to create a new world for their children to live in. That created the balance you are trying to restore now. But what if we retrieved that magika?" A dripping black head twisted to face Verden.

His expression was indifferent, but Reyna saw the bubbling anger in the tiny wrinkle between his brows. She felt Umbra saw it too.

"The raw magika has been restored to the two worlds. If earth's power is retrieved, you can not only create a new balance under your terms, but also help this one heal faster."

"How?" Verden sounded as he looked: irritated.

"Bring all the magika, all the demons, all the humans, all the spirits and it will flourish."

"That much you already made clear. Stop spewing ambiguous nonsense and tell me how we actually do it."

Umbra recoiled and froze. Blinked. Reyna never recalled seeing those jade circles close before. They were always plasted and penetrating disks on a dark bust.

"Of course. Forgive me. It is difficult sometimes..." Umbra said and fell from the fountain like the splash of ink it resembled.

They all stared at the spirit on the floor, a sad splatter of darkness.

"What is wrong with this sad creature?" Radi asked.

Umbra shot up to the ceiling as if pulled upon by some invisible force only to trickle down like a melting candle. The spirit giggled, whispers in the dark. "Do excuse me."

"Enough. Are you going to help us or not?" Verden snarled in a way that reminded Reyna of Mundus.

"Yes. Yes, I am. I am going to need all of you to help, starting with Radi and ending with Reyna." Umbra slithered next to her.

Reyna stared. For being told she wasn't supposed to be on this fountain-finding journey, everyone didn't hesitate to tell her to do things. She suddenly felt really tired. "What do I have to do?" she said.

"Something you've done before. Remember when you created Mundus a body out of mud?"

It felt so long ago. Before she had ever stepped into the demon world. Before she had realized the severity of what that meant. She knew what Umbra was going to ask her to do and her heart was a hammering fist jabbing her ribs. Reyna watched, tensed, as the spirit's dark fingers phased through the ground and pulled out a two fistfuls of black dirt. Umbra dipped the soil into the fountain before plopping the two balls of mud on the floor next to it.

"You know, I can barely remember the name of all fifty states, so I don't know how you expect me to perfectly replicate two worlds," Reyna said as she stared at the clumps of mud.

"I will help you, dear Reyna," Umbra said, but Reyna wasn't thinking about that.

"You said we can change the balance now. Last time that happened was when earth was created but the ones that were involved in that died." Reyna looked at Umbra dead in the eyes. "I don't want anyone to die here."

Umbra's answer was immediate. "They won't, Reyna."

She exhaled and nodded. Something in the way Umbra answered her provided comfort.