That night I found myself waking up in that familiar room. Juktha’s room.
It looked almost exactly the same as it had before, except now, it was night. The only illumination was the silver moonlight streaming through a pair of open double doors on the far end that led out to a balcony. As I walked towards the doors I could feel a cool breeze brush against my face.
I stepped through the doors, and out onto the balcony. I had never been to this part of Juktha’s room before. For all I knew, it was brand new. It was stunning, though. Constructed of rich, polished marble, the balcony overlooked an endless, calm ocean. If I had been in a better mood I would have enjoyed it.
At that very moment, though, I wanted to be anywhere but there.
I spotted Juktha leaning against the stone railing that lined the edge of the balcony. Much to my surprise, standing next to her was Kurt.
“Took you long enough.” He looked at me and smiled.
“It was kind of hard to get my mind to quiet down enough for me to get to sleep.” I glanced at Juktha as I spoke.
She looked like I felt. Beat up, defeated. She looked violated. She couldn’t meet my eyes, and instead focused on her clasped hands, which she held over her chest.
“Hell of a day, right?” Kurt turned, looking out at the ocean. “So this is where you two go to construct all your battle plans. I never thought I would see this place.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it.” I bit my bottom lip. The last person who deserved to be snapped at was Kurt. He had been through just as much as I had. Hell, he should be mad at me. Furious, even. Instead he was calm, smiling.
I wanted to shake him. I wanted to scream at him, and make him angry. I wanted him to hate me for what I had dragged him in to. I wanted... I wanted him to be safe, and today just proved that I couldn’t always make that happen.
“Why am I here?” I looked away from Kurt, back at Juktha.
She finally looked up at me. “I am sorry.” Tears rimmed her lower eye lids. “I should have known... I should have been prepared.”
“How could you?” Kurt turned towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “How could any of us? We are learning all of this as we go. We just need to be glad that, in the end, we got out of there alive.”
“Thanks to Ashtyn.” I hated how bitter those words sounded. I had to admit to myself that it hurt not to be the hero this time. The fact that I was being so shallow made me even more angry. “How did that work, any ways? I could barely move after Grath drained your power, and yet the power drain didn’t seem to have any effect on her.”
“We were actually just talking about that.” Juktha glanced at Kurt. “I think... I think we might be seeing the birth of a new goddess in Ashtyn. Possibly Kurt as well.”
“A new... how the hell does that even work?” I bit my tongue, stopping the anger from spilling out from between my lips.
“Grath had mentioned that if we, as deities, had been truly forgotten, we would have ceased to exist.” She took a deep breath. “I think that whatever groups are still worshiping us... I think they are changing our story, and they are making you and your friends a part of it.”
“How would they know that?” I walked towards the balcony, resting my hands on the cool stone. “How would they know that you and I are joined? Or that Kurt and Ashtyn are part of this?”
“They’re watching us.” Kurt stood next to me, close enough where I could feel his warmth on his skin. “Not just the three of us, but Clare and Brittany as well. Maybe even Matt and Amanda, Felicia, the kids at the school. They are watching us, and creating a new history for Juktha and the other gods.”
As what Kurt and Juktha were telling me sunk in I could feel my anger building again, and my fear. Now I had a group of people, strangers, stepping in and taking control of my life?
I started to feel sick.
“We need to find them, Bobby.” Juktha’s voice was soft, calm.
“They already know who we are.” I focused on the ocean, on the sweet, salty smell that drifted from the rolling waves. I tried to calm myself down. “Why don’t they just reveal themselves?”
“Maybe they’re scared. Mabye they don’t think we are ready, or they aren’t sure, but I’m getting the feeling we may have to make the first move here.” Kurt rested his hand on the small of my back. “All of us do.”
“And what about Grath’s followers?” I closed my eyes, cringing at the sound of that monster’s name. “What do we do about them?”
“We need to find them, and stop them.” Juktha took a deep breath, “and I think I know where they might be headed.”
“Where?” I turned, looking at Juktha.
“Grath’s temple.” She shuddered. “It still stands. It hasn’t been used for years, at least not as a temple, but it still stands. His followers will be making their way there.”
“Then we go there, and we take them out.” I stepped away from the railing, and turned, walking back towards the double doors. “We just need to make sure we are ready for that battle, because I do not want a repeat of today.”
I kept walking, not turning, not letting them see the anger and fear, the tears and the humiliation. I focused on the new mission, on what I needed to accomplish.
The next time I faced Grath, I would make sure to wipe that son of a bitch from existence, and every one of his psychotic followers with him.
***
Ashtyn stood in a small chapel. The floor was thick, gray stone, the walls arches that looked out over a sea of white clouds. At the opposite end of the room was a small, stone altar.
Standing in front of the altar was a tall woman, with long, flowing wine red hair, and cocoa skin. She wore a purple toga style dress that seemed to drape over her lithe, dancer’s body.
How she had gotten to this place, and who that woman was, she had no idea. She knew she should be alarmed, scared even, but she wasn’t. In fact, she felt just the opposite. She was completely, and totally calm.
“Ashtyn?” The woman’s voice was soft, welcoming. She took a step away from the altar, and her movements were smooth and graceful.
“Yes.” Asthyn spoke as if in a trance. She was hypnotized by the figure in front of her. “Who are you?”
The woman bowed her head. “I am Tabitha, daughter of Juktha, and goddess of Purification.” She raised her head, her beautiful silver eyes meeting Ashtyn’s. “I have been joined with you.”
Ashtyn stood there, stunned into silence.
“Joined?” The word came out with a stutter.
“As my mother and Bobby are joined, so are you and I.” Tabitha smiled.
Ashtyn fainted.
***
The car came to a stop in front of the latched gates. The headlights bounced off a sign that read “Closed for the Season”. With a rumble the car’s engine turned off, and the driver’s side door opened.
Elizabeth stepped out, the glass case in her hand. She looked much different then she had back at the lab. Gone were the mousy clothes, and coke bottle glasses. Instead she wore knee high leather boots, zipped up the side, a pair of skin tight jeans, and a leather jacket over a white, spaghetti strap tank top. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and her eyes were covered by a pair of bitch black sunglasses. The real Elizabeth had emerged.
She walked towards the gates, the stiletto heels of her boots clicking on the pavement with every step. She glanced up at the giant sign above the gates.
Fantasy Land.
She had been there a few times when she was a child. It was a budget rate theme park with crappy rides, and creepy decorations. Yet this is where Grath had wanted her to go.
“Home sweet home?” She looked down at the glass case, and the spores that were housed inside.
She had been pleased to see the spores had multiplied. A little blood, and suddenly they were filling the container. More spores meant more possibilities.
“If you say so.” Elizabeth slid open the lid from the case, and watched as the spores drifted out, and through the rusted bars of the gate.
She turned, walking back towards the car, and slid into the driver’s seat, closing the door behind her.
“You know, Steven, I’m kind of sad to see them go.” She turned towards Steven’s lifeless corpse that was slumped over in the passenger's seat. “I feel like a mother bird sending her babies out of the nest and into the world.”
The front of Steven’s shirt was caked with dried blood, and his face was slack jawed and wide eyed. He hadn’t expected Elizabeth to slit his throat, and he still wore that stupid, shocked expression, even in death. His blood had been very helpful, though. When Grath had told her that he needed blood to grow, she had almost given him her own, but he had stopped her before she had done anything stupid. He needed her, but he didn’t need Steven anymore. Steven had stopped being useful.
“Come on.” Elizabeth started the car. “I’ll be back when he’s ready.” She put the car in reverse, and started down the short driveway towards the main road.
The jolt from the sudden movement sent Steven’s body forward, his head smacking against the dash. Elizabeth giggled.
She had enjoyed killing Steven. The fact that it had helped strengthen Grath was just a plus. As she glanced back at the gates, she couldn’t help but smile at all the fun possibilities that lay ahead of her.
She put the car in drive, and headed back towards Chicago.
“Just have to be patient,” she said to herself. “Soon, Grath will rise.”
To Be Continued...
