Renhala (22 page)

Chapter 29

Desperate

The next day, Gunthreon tells me about the hours spent with Conner and their efforts in speaking with Philip
’s foster mom. Also, several odd-hour calls to different offices within the Department of Children and Family Services—as well as government employees’ homes—were made, resulting in Philip becoming officially off the adoption radar. Conner also agreed to join our quest at the request of Gunthreon, who thought his abilities would come in handy.

Apparently, Conner has had numerous conversations with Russell and Gunthreon about the odd occurrences happening and his own theories. It
’s decided Russell is to stay in Abscondia, continuing on with his own quest—Amber.

Everyone is equipped with their backpacks, bundles and bags, but nobody truly exudes readiness for this journey, for Gunthreon had given us quite the pep talk about the severity of the matter and the fact we could all die. I feel many nervous jitters, and not just from myself. The uneasiness is thickening the air around everyone, making it difficult for me to gather my own thoughts and strength.

Kioto sits by Bu’s feet, watching everyone closely, her eyes picking up every nervous movement. She knows something is up. I fill her water and food bowl and kiss her on the head. Her eyes plead and I whisper to her, “Please stay.” She seemingly understands and lies down quietly.

I take a last peek in my bag at what I
’ve packed. I grab a few more toiletries and my iPod, thinking it’s small enough to hide from any technology police.

Before I turn to join my motley crew, I take a glance at my dresser and see my father’s silver ring lying there, willing me to touch it. I reach over and pick it up and turn it over and over in my hand, attempting to gather the needed courage to go on with this madness of travelling between planes, trying to find some god I never knew existed
, to save lives—actual lives. I take a deep breath and think to myself that if I really want to prove something to myself—that I’m strong enough to face anything—I best get this party going.

“I
’m ready,” I say as I enter the family room. Then wanting to give my own pep talk, I say, “Remember everyone, we have karma on our side, even if she feels like puking, too.” Bu looks frightened and falls slightly deeper into my couch, so I secretly wink at him and shake my head. He turns away from everyone and smiles to himself.

Conner sits on the couch, and I sit next to him, putting my hand on his leg. “Find a sitter for Cherry?” He nods and hi
s shoulders slump slightly. I feel that he’s as scared as I am pretending not to be. He whispers something in my ear, indeed confirming that he’s scared as hell, but willing to go on our quest. Ladimer sees the exchange between us and quickly diverts his eyes when I turn toward him.

Then Ladimer stands up before us, as though he’s going to give a speech. “So, I wanted to all let you know that I
’ve rented an apartment in this complex as of yesterday—one building over. Kailey,” he says toward me, “perhaps you can come over later and... “ The look in his eyes makes me shudder as I instantly sweat. “... help me decorate. Here’s my phone number.” He hands me a piece of paper. Conner and Ladimer exchange a look that isn’t entirely friendly.

Conner then says, “You know, in thinking about it, I don
’t really think the matter of your disappearance from the adoption list was entirely taken care of. I’m sure there’d be lots of media hype on a lost seven-year-old, eh? Might be hard to hide, then.” He stands up and Ladimer straightens up, willing a fight between them. I blush from the argument, not knowing what to do as the ego battle ensues. The fear we harbor is going to eat us from the inside out. Bu stands with his hands on his ears, just like a certain monkey I fear.

“Children!” This is from Gunthreon, who seems to have come to his own senses. “Stop this insidious behavior. I’d think you were in grade school, fighting over the new girl in town. Everyone grab your belongings. We are leaving. Kailey, you need practice, so try taking us to Renhala, now.” Caught off guard, I just stand there, staring at Gunthreon. “
Now, please. Just grasp each person’s energy. You can do this.”

I think of the only two places I know, and focus on Meadow’s Edge, our destination.

We arrive, and when I open my eyes, I jump up and down. “I did it, I did it!” I cry. But Conner shuffles his feet uncomfortably, and Gunthreon swears under his breath. “What now?” I can’t seem to do anything right. I twirl around and realize what I’ve done. No Ladimer. “Shit!”

“You h
ave to go back and get him,” states Gunthreon. “He doesn’t know where we are.”

I instantly go back and find him standing at the window, staring out at nothing. Quietly, he whispers, “Just like Georgie Parker.”

“Huh?” He’s got me on this one. “What does that mean? Who’s that?”

“Nothing. Just take me to everyone, please.” He doesn’t accept a hug, instead just pushing me away. “We have our quest, remember?” I feel his pain in my own chest and want to make it go away, but I know I can’t. It feels as though my mere presence next to him upsets him right now, and his energy is actually repelling my own—a horrible feeling for me.

“Ladimer. Please don’t make me feel like the bad guy in all this. Don’t humiliate me any further.”

“Humiliate you? You don
’t know the half of it! Just take us now, or you can forget my help.”

I struggle to grasp his energy, which is still fighting against my own, but suddenly, we
’re back with our friends. Conner looks to Ladimer, and Ladimer turns away. As we begin walking across the rocklands, following Gunthreon to Lupa’s house, nobody speaks, and poor Bu just trails behind everyone. I stop and walk next to him. “Conner and Ladimer angry,” he says, sadly. “Bu wants to cry.” He tears up, too. What is it with men and all their issues? 

“They
’re being very immature right now,” I explain. “I’d have to say you are the most grown-up one here now, seriously.” His hand grabs mine gently, and he kisses it. 

The gentleness of his touch soon migrates to pain as we suddenly smell the smoke, hear the screams, and watch as a screaming dragon falls from the sky. The last thing I remember is
Neda save us all
bursting through my head like lightning.

*********

My vision is foggy, but I sit up on my own. Chaos screams around me, and I don’t know what to do. My head hurts
again
, and I see the piece of rock that must have hit me lying next to my leg. Meadow’s Edge is under attack and the battles have spread to the rocklands. Gunthreon stands beside Lupa, who seems to be using her gardening tools as weapons to fight off some huge creature resembling a giant earwig. Conner uses his sword to slice into a giant squirmy larva that keeps spitting brown liquid at him, and Bu pummels a greble about his size.

That’s when I see Ladimer tending to Greer. I run to them and peer into Greer’s eyes, sensing a retreat from consciousness. 

“Kailey, this is bad. I can’t heal him fast enough. My energy is draining,” whispers Ladimer. “His injuries are too substantial.” Ladimer is pale from giving his all.

“Keep trying Ladimer, please!” Greer’s eyes roll back into his head like marbles.

“My energy... I can’t do this without your help. Replenishment,” he yelps, as he fades fast. The drain he speaks of feels like a malfunctioning vacuum trying to suction, but with a disconnected hose. With a push of his breath, he says, “Kiss me, Kailey.”

My eyebrows raise and I don
’t move. “What?” I ask, dumbfounded.

“Please!” I hear
Kailey
in my head, and the combined pleas push me over the edge as Ladimer passes out. I know I will somehow regret what I’m about to do, but they both need the help, and fast. Conner’s attention is elsewhere, so I go for it.

As Ladimer slumps over Greer, I grab his mouth and kiss him with a newfound passion. With all the anger he makes me feel, I still care for him. I take the anger and pry his mouth open with my own, and in a last ditch effort, I gather my own energy and desire and push
it into him, transferring it. A profound warmth seems to spread from my own body and travel into his as the hunger I have for him swells inside me like a tornado. I grab onto his waist.

He awakens, and his energy multiplies with my own. I can feel it flow over me and Greer both. One hand is still on Greer, but the other finds my back. He grabs at me and lets me know he’s not going to let go until he’s through. I allow it. His energy is like fiery water. It’s hot, but flows like liquid, and flows slowly over every sensitive spot on my body. I don’t want it to end, but am afraid of the power coursing between us. With every second, my body feels renewed and replenished, like when I stepped into the life pool. My respect for Ladimer intensifies with each spasmodic episode, for he is a giver of life and the pleasures life brings. The touch of his hand is magic.

He still holds me and Greer. His face is one of sheer joy, and I hope he feels what I feel. He opens his mouth and I hear, “Just like Luke Levine.” This time, the name tickles my memory, but I still don’t know what he’s talking about. I feel the power parting slowly, and my heart no longer pounds in my throat. Finally, he lets go of me, and I slide down to the ground. I have no energy left whatsoever.

“Kailey, that wasn’t only me, you know.” Ladimer seems drunk with energy as he crawls down. “That was your power, too. I felt it.”

Well, it’s about time, you two
. 

I smile, for I know Greer is okay, but a glance in Conner’s direction tells me someone else is not. His attention is directed toward us for a brief moment, and then he quickly turns to the larva, which is gaining ground on him. With disgust plastered across his face, he jabs the creature in the gut with his sword and stands, covered in disgusting goo, staring at me. He then turns back to the fighting as my energy returns and I realize the chaos around us has not lessened.

Greer stands up to his full height, stretches, and bows to Ladimer, then to me, then flies straight up toward another black speck in the sky. My monk’s spade is warm and I grab it, embracing its warmth and swinging it through the air, becoming acquainted with it once again. I run toward Bu, who is still fighting the greble, and run my blade through the greble’s heart with ease, suddenly feeling a certain undescribable pang (the best way I can put it) in my energy and near my own heart.

“Thanks, Kailey. Bu tired,” he says. He sits on the ground almost immediately, then lies on his back.

“This is not the time to sleep, Bu. Get up. Bu, get up.” The blood starts to pour out from underneath him. I scream for Ladimer.

“Kailey, you help Bu
like you help Ladimer,” he pleads, quietly.

His pain-filled smirk makes me smile sympathetically.

“Bu, you have to protect me,” I say. “Hang in there, buddy.” Ladimer comes, and I help him turn Bu over. I can’t believe what I see. Bu has an actual screwdriver stuck in his back.

“Ladimer, get it out, and make sure you clean, please,” Bu says. With this, he passes out. I kiss him gently on the forehead.

Ladimer heals him easily, and without
my
help.
Sorry, Bu
.

The carnage around me attacks my senses once more. “What
’s going on?” I ask. “Do you have any idea, Ladimer?” But for once, he is speechless. Gunthreon and Lupa join us, and I see that Lupa is bleeding from a few cuts, but is generally okay. Gunthreon is unscathed, but keeps putting his arm around Lupa, trying to comfort her, or perhaps himself.

“Lupa, what’s happening?” I say. She has to know.

“One moment, I’m preparing a stew, and the next, I’m fighting off a giant bug trying to crawl in through my open window. I didn’t know until I stepped out that everyone seemed to be fighting. It happened so quickly, even Greer was caught off guard.” 

Suddenly, Ladimer shouts, “Mortimer!” and takes off running toward town. I try chasing him, but he is too fast. Standing amongst the fighting, I am once again lost. But just as I stop, I feel the sensation of being swept up in the air and almost having the breath knocked out of me. I don’t know how to react, or who to scream to for help, and even if I did, I don’t think anything would help me at this height.

Chapter 30

Truthful

A great green talon has me in its grasp, and we are flying, and fast, straight up in the air. I recognize the talon as Greer’s.

Sorry to startle you, karmelean
.

“That’s all right, I guess. Where are you taking me?”

My urgent matter has been taken care of, so I want to show you something. Also, I don’t trust you’ll keep yourself alive in the battle down there.
I can see that, overall, the enemies below are retreating.

“I lose the vote of confidence.”

I have lived long, Kailey, and have learned a great many things. One of them is to read a person’s energy. When you helped me today, I felt your essence, and I know you are one to trust, unlike many others. I also know that you underestimate your powers. You are very powerful, but I feel you need more practice on channeling, perhaps? After all, you’re Quicksilver’s daughter. She wasn’t always Quicksilver you know. She was once just like you: naïve.

Greer
’s ride is smooth, and I love his embrace. He’s extremely gentle, and I can relax in his grasp. He’s also very warm, and that wonderful smell of cinnamon emanates from him. As we fly over Meadow’s Edge, I can see the all too-familiar rocklands I previously traveled across. I see that the rocks are indeed in a pattern, because they form a giant version of the rune of Meadow’s Edge. It is beautiful.

Greer starts his descent, and we land at the life pool. 

Does this seem familiar to you?

“Yeah, it’s the life pool that I entered not that long ago. I
t’s absolutely wonderful,” I coo. “Why are we here?”

I’m glad you used the pool. It is a female Life Pool and can do many a wonder for those who enter. Kailey, believe it or not, you were born in that pool.

I smile for the simple knowledge of one more fact on my birth.

Here in Meadow’s Edge, everyone is born in either a female or male life pool. Babies born here alternate. This way, there is a balance
, always. The pregnant female is told by a shaman what sex her baby will be, and then she comes to the pool when her contractions start, and all friends and family stand around and witness the birth. I was lucky enough to witness yours. Your mother was absolutely beautiful, standing in the center of the pool, shining like a night star, and she was absolutely ecstatic seeing your face for the first time. You are lucky to have her as your mother. She loves you beyond words.
He pauses briefly.
You know, she came to me very recently to visit.

“She did? What did you talk about?”

I’m going to be honest, because I think we both know that she is not doing so well. Her pain is intensifying. We spoke about the good old days and of our many journeys through this life, and of her love for you. But she’s very tired, Kailey.

I think of my mom and feel the tears start to trickle down my face. “I know,” I say as I look down at my hands.

The day you were born, your father was here too.
My face rises instantly.
He loved your mother very much, but had already begun having troubles. When you were born, the pool lit up with such bright light we all had to close our eyes or turn away. It was as though Neda itself blessed your birth. We could all feel its energy and were awestruck. In my many years of life, I have never witnessed that kind of reaction from a life pool. Your mother then brought you to your father, and he laid one gentle kiss upon your head. I could sense the energies in you and felt both the good and bad as they exist in newborns, passed on from previous lives’ experiences. You see, babies are not truly born devoid of bad energy—only born into ignorance. As they grow, they nurture their energies, either feeding the good or the bad.

“Oh. Nice to know I have evil
pumping through my veins,” I respond.

I want you to know a piece of your history. Let
’s say I’m satisfying karma.
He winks at me.
Remember, I can feel your energy, and it is good and powerful. Your soul was meant to do something great in this world. I know this. Your family housed a constant struggle between good and bad as you grew, and your father left because he saw what he was doing to his family. Your mother then nursed your good energy as much she could, sheltering you from many of life’s complexities. I know now, though, that she knew what she was doing. You are karma full strength, and are here to show us the path. I need you to tell me you understand.

I just sit, not saying a word, trying to take in everything Greer is saying to me. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, Greer.” Greer studies me intensely with his giant eyes, and when I shake my head no, he nods.

You do, Kailey. Reach deep inside. Make your mother proud, girl.

The tears flow yet again, and I make a promise to both myself and Greer to do the best I possibly can. I try thinking of any evil things I may have done when I was younger—I call them “
Flatliner
” moments—but I have to agree with Greer. I was generally a good kid. Except...

A single act floats before me in my head: the day I broke a little boy’s heart. “Georgie Parker!” My thoughts begin to race as I see Ladimer, broken-hearted, standing before me saying “Just like Georgie Parker.” My thoughts buzz in my head at deadly RPMs. How could Ladimer know something like that?

Greer looks at me like I just spoke Greek.
Now
you
have
me
confused. What is your little mind thinking right now?

“We need to find Ladimer. He went to check on Mortimer, but I couldn’t keep up. Come on, come on.” I snap my fingers.

The great creature before me suddenly laughs.
If you were anyone else, I would have just eaten you for that. Hold on, little one.
He puts out a claw, and I grab on as he swoops me up. If life was easy, he’d drop me when we were a few thousand feet above the ground, but then who would save the world? A few maniacal laughs escape my mouth, and Greer peeks at me out of the corner of his eye.

I will never fully understand you humans. And to think I am placing my life in the hands of an extremely strange one. Neda save us all.
He laughs, and I whole-heartedly laugh with him.

Mortimer’s shop appears below us like a speck of dirt. Greer descends quickly and lands perfectly. I hop off his claw and race to the front door while Greer watches the skies. He seems to be expecting something and he growls a deep, low growl. Sooner than I can say “turnip,” he flies straight up. I hope I never happen upon whatever he’s been fighting.

The store seems quiet, and I am reluctant to enter. The bell chimes overhead, and I wince, for fear someone may jump out at me. There is silence, and I am afraid, for my monk’s spade jumps to life. I take it off my back—I’ve gotten much better at that at least—and walk toward the back shop area where Mortimer does his magic. Just as I open the door, I see the most gruesome creature staring at me. Paralysis kicks in, and I cannot move an inch. I once thought grebles were the scariest thing ever, but this takes the cake.

The creature is somewhat hum
an, thin, and stands about seven feet tall, but the horribleness is that it is somehow inside-out.
How can it survive with all its internal organs hanging out?
The heart is beating, and I can see the blood flowing to its kidneys, liver and many other nameless items—I was never good in biology. It has two eyes, which still stare at me, and have not blinked once. It has a mouth, for I can see about, oh, a hundred vampire-sharp fangs in it, and it has a black tongue, like some rabid chow.

I grasp the monk’s spade a bit tighter, for the paralysis lets up slightly, and that’s when it moves. Before I can take a breath, it is standing an inch from my face, again staring. It breaths on me and smells like pork. I vow never to eat bacon again, if I live. It seems to be examining my face, maybe deciding which facial feature to eat first. 

It then says one word to me: “Run.”

I try and move, but find I
’m still stuck.

“Run.”

I cannot even open my mouth to give this creature some choice words I’ve thought up. I send out my feeler, quickly—my attempt at an offensive move.
Nothing
. My eyes opens wide. “It has no energy! How—”

“Run!” This time it screams at me.

My legs have feeling once again, and I do just what it says, just as a meeple jumps toward me from behind a soldering table. The inside-out man lunges at it and digs its teeth into the meeple. The bunny screams a hideous scream, and the blood splashes over my back as its head is ripped off.

Fear creeps up my throat like vomit, and I take off as fast as my feet can carry me. I
’m almost to the back door when I stumble over Mortimer and Ladimer, both tied up and gagged. Ladimer stares at inside-out man, and Mortimer has either passed out or died. The creature is just standing there now, not doing anything.

That’s when I see the huge ax sticking out of the back of its head.

“How is it still alive?” I turn to my friends and realize they cannot answer gagged. I use my monk’s spade to cut through the thick rope they are bound with. Ladimer quickly grabs Mortimer, undoes his belt, and starts to remove his pants.

“What the hell are you doing right now?” I don’t know if I want to know. But I soon see why Ladimer was so eager to remove Mortimer’s pants: his legs are inside out. He is surely still alive, for I see the telltale blood flow. Ladimer does his magic and Mortimer’s legs return to normal.

“Oh my god!” I exclaim. “What the hell is that thing, and why did it kill the meeple?”

The creature pulls the ax from its head, returns it to a hook on Mortimer
’s wall, and then bends over toward the meeple. It takes something from the meeple’s carcass, then leaves.

Ladimer speaks to me. “It’s a deathman. Wherever there is death, you will find a deathman. They don’t choose sides. They only feed on those who are dying or newly dead, and the only way to avoid them is to be buried beneath the ground before they get you. Deathmen eat souls, and then they dispose of the souls wherever they take them, but nobody really knows where. I must say, though, I
’ve never seen a deathman attack like that.” Ladimer looks at the meeple’s body.

Mortimer stands up, brushing himself off. “Thank you, Kailey. You saved us,” he says. “When I entered my shop I saw Ladimer hanging.” I gasp. “The deathman was approaching him, so I grabbed my ax, cut Ladimer down, and then swung in desperation at
it. Honestly, I didn’t want it coming for me, even if it was my time to go. I’m such a coward.” He spews disgust—with himself.

“Mortimer, I would have done the same exact thing, so don
’t beat yourself up over it.” A thought suddenly occurs to me. “Grim Reapers! They actually exist. That’s what the cape hides. Gross.”

“That damn meeple was too quick for us.” Ladimer’s words are chock-full of anger. “Damn thing jumped on my mind so quick. When I got here, I was so worried about Mortimer I let my defenses down. It actually made me grab that rope down from a shelf so I could hang myself with it. Mortimer was not even in his shop. Good thing I was here first. That meeple might have gotten Mortimer
’s lutheose secrets out of him, giving the bad guys a very powerful weapon against us, I think.”

“Can we get out of here quick?” I don’t want to be here anymore.

Mortimer’s face is suddenly one of sheer terror as Ladimer turns to him and says, “You know you need to leave this place for good.”

“You know I cannot. This is my life, Ladimer.”

“There is evidently a solid reason they keep showing up here, Mortimer,” grunts Ladimer. “They will continue until they get what they’re after. Every day, they are becoming smarter. They will figure out how to use your gift against us. Lutheose is
your
baby, Mortimer. Don’t let them discover the secret.”

“Funny, because I don’t even know
the secret!
” says Mortimer, with a bit of sarcasm. “I just create it. It just happens. I’ve never told anyone this,” he pauses, “but I essentially black out while I make it. I black out! I don’t even know what goes into it. I’m the only one that can do it, though, so everyone gives me the credit and praise. So even if they got me, I don’t think they’ll ever know, because I don’t even know.” He stares at his feet and looks very much discouraged. “
I’m
the secret ingredient.”

I walk to him, whispering in his ear, “We’re in the same boat. I have no clue how these damn powers work and what to do with them. I need direction, too. We need a foreman or something.” He laughs again, but this time it lightens my heart.

Ladimer doesn’t laugh. “Your brains know how you do it. There’s an expanse of brain that’s working undercover, and someone is going to learn how to tap that. It’s only a matter of time. Let’s go.”