by KA Stefana
Rolling over, I smelled my morning elixir brewing off in the distance, calling me to plant my feet firmly on the ground. Wrestling with desires for that liquid gold, my sleep-addled brain wasn’t ready to face the waiting world. The feel of the silk sheets against my naked body played tricks with my mind. Memories of his touch floated by. Was it just a dream? Was he real? Not wanting to know the truth, I curled up and forced my eyes to remain shut. Sealed! If I didn’t open them, I couldn’t start my day.
Steadying my breathing, I could hear the ocean’s waves crashing far below. My windows were open, letting the breeze circulate through the room, tantalizing me with scents of warm bread and other delicacies. My stomach rumbled, hunger lingering for a mere second, but the butterflies took over as images of the way he touched me fell over me like the soft summer rains.
His hands touched me in the most intimate places. His kisses upon my skin, between my legs. His tongue tortured me my burning flesh. It was enough to make me die of embarrassment.
Sitting bolt upright. Panic swelled within me. I thought my heart would beat out of my chest as the realization hit me hard. I could not remember how we met. What was his name? How could I let a stranger touch me? Where was he now?
Opening my eyes, I saw the magnificent view from my vantage point. The doors opened to a balcony pool overlooking the magnificent mountains and ocean far below. The view called me as I flipped the black sheets off. I walked slowly across the room and down into the waiting pool. Swimming slowly to the other side, I leaned on the pool’s edge and took in the mountains and the village below.
Creasing my brow, I wondered where I was and how I came to be in such a place, knowing I could never afford such luxuries when I heard a silky voice ring out from behind. I whirled around and stared at the man standing before me, undressed, and by the look in his eyes, he was ready to devour me again.
Sinking under the water to hide my nakedness, I tearfully asked, “Who are you? Why am I here?”
He smiled at me, stepping into the pool and closing the gap between us. He placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled me toward him, replying, “What do you remember, Resa?”
Shaking my head, I tried to back away, crying, “Nothing. Nothing. You need to tell me who you are. Why am I here? Please?”
Raising a hand to my forehead, I almost flew off the balcony as a burst of energy blasted through my body. Memory after memory flooded my senses until I passed out.
When I woke up, he was holding me gently in his arms, asking, “Do you trust me now, Resa?”
I felt a calmness surrounding me in his arms, but fear lingered in me, wondering if he was telling me the truth. I looked into his gaze, questioning, “Lucian, why me? I am just a poor girl.”
He let out a low growl, stating firmly, “Earthly wealth and power mean nothing to me. I wanted you, and that’s what mattered the most.”
I pushed back from him, bewildered. His words vexed me. “Don’t I have a say in the matter? You stole me from my village! Stole my memories! Took me from my family! Do you expect me to be thrilled with your actions? Just because we had sex last night doesn’t mean I want to stay locked up here forever!”
A flash of anger danced in his eyes, but he tried to hide it from me. His words rang with a sickly sweetness, “Resa, I did ask you and court you before we left your world. We loved each other deeply, and you will love me again. I promise you this.”
“Prove it!”
Raising his hand, a bolt of energy escaped hitting me in between the eyes. Stepping backward, I nearly fell into the water, but swiftly he grabbed me.
Gasping for air, I fought the memories he was showing me, not sure if I trusted this demon. “Take me back! I want you to send me home, and If I remember you in my own realm, I will return to you.”
“Resa, that is not how it works. You cannot go back and forth between the worlds until you accept me fully. Otherwise, you will always lose your memories when you cross the veil between the worlds.”
Slamming my fists down, the water sprayed him. “I don’t care. I want to go home, and if I can’t, then I shall never love you. I don’t trust those stupid memories you are showing me. You just made them up!”
Another glint of anger, but he hid it well. “Listen to me, Resa. I am not lying to you. Your memories are real! Let me finish turning you, and you will gain all your memories, not just the ones from last night.”
“No! I want to go home! Otherwise, I am just a prisoner here!”
He furrowed his eyebrows, debating what to do, then, with a wave of his hand, I felt my body being sucked backward through time. I landed harshly on my filthy bed, the one from my memories, and I cried out, screaming his name. “Lucian! Lucian! Where are you?”
In the recesses of my brain, I heard his voice echo, “You had your chance.”
I was left with nothing but memories of his touch.
KA Stefana is an indie author writing dark fantasy with a twist of romance. To find her other stories click on the linktr.ee:
© 2024 KA Stefana
by Amy Hodges-Laurenzo
Night had come and the high borns had gathered at the court house. A meeting had been called by Alpha Sargent Myles.
The Elders took their place in the stands. The Enforcers, along with the Gamma Orison Dobs, stood to the right of the bench. Beta Mitchel Tyde stood to the left with his mate Tara, the Luna Amber, and the two boys…Alpha heir Victor Myles and Kevin Tyde, most likely the next Beta.
Alpha Sargent Myles sat on the bench in front of the Elders. He would normally stand a height of six feet and seven inches. His brown hair looked mostly gray. His brown eyes looked tired. He also wore old jeans and a white shirt. Hiking boots sat upon his feet.
“Looks like everyone is here. So I call this meeting to order.
“It is no secret among you that I intend to step down as Alpha on New Years Eve. Victor will succeed me as Alpha at the clock turns from one year to the next.
“Unfortunately, we have some issues that need to be ironed out. The Tumma Pack is an issue, but so too is a problem with Latents. The genetic strength of the pack must be observed. With fourteen Latent adults, there must be a culling…
“On December 21st, the fourteen Latent, from the ages of sixteen to twenty-one, will be taken outside the town of Stone to the mountain terrain to the north. After getting an hour for a head start, they will be hunted by the Enforcers here for sport…”
Elder Nikki started to speak, but the smell of brimstone and a flash of fire stopped her.
The Alpha even backed off defensively.
The source, however, came from an old crone who magically appeared in the room near him. She looked to be older than most of the elders, with snow white hair and her eyes appeared white too. Possibly blind, she acted as though she saw perfectly. The cloak she wore looked faded and black.
Sargent growled at her, “Witch! What do you want?”
She chuckled and gave a toothless smile. “You aren’t a bright Alpha, are you?”
He started forward, but the Luna stepped between him and his target, stopping him.
Amber, the Luna, stood at five feet and seven inches. A brunette herself, she had golden brown eyes. She wore black leggings and a top with boots. “You talk big crone, tell us what you want and be gone.”
The old one sighed, “I am Tela Armasist. I have come to warn you against the course you intend to take with the female Latent of your pack. To destroy the wrong one, the packs will never know a Susi Kuningas.” All looked at her a moment in shock, so she added, “A Wolf King.”
That made the group gasp.
She continued, “Among your Latent, is the Kuningas Valmistaja of this generation…a King Maker. She is of a lost wolf breed, a Kummitussui. To claim her will lead to the empty throne of the Wolves that had not been claimed in over two thousand and twenty-five years.
“So…to be the Wolf King, claiming the Ghost Wolf Bitch as your own will lead to your crowning.”
Victor spoke up in the moment, “Do you know which one that she is?”
Ambition could be a dangerous thing. For centuries, the packs had been divided. Each Alpha answered to no one but themselves. For a King to rise above them all would be an ultimate achievement for any Alpha.
Sargent noticed his son’s voice. Deep down, he could not help but to be proud…but also very concerned.
The Witch bowed her head to the heir, “She is in your friend’s class.” She gestured to Kevin and then vanished once again.
Victor snatched up the name list of the Latent and shoved it under Kevin’s nose, “Which ones are in your class?”
The Alpha’s son stood. He matched his dad for height and hair, though the twenty-two year old wore it long. He had the same eyes too. Tonight, he wore black jeans, black pull over shirt, and tactical boots.
Kevin tapped the three names, “These three girls are in my class. Bree Marx. Sara Bradshaw, and Reign Hartly.”
Victor’s eyes locked on Reign’s name. He always had a thing for the little lady.
Sargent spoke up, “I rule this pack, not some old witch. I say what goes. The Latents in the age category of sixteen to twenty-one will be hunted December 21st, period. That’s it.”
With that, the meeting broke.
Victor confronted his dad, closing the distance between them to not even a foot as he looked his predecessor in the eye. “If anything the witch said is true, it should not be ignored. If the Wolf Throne is achievable, you should want me to claim her and take it for our blood line.”
“You are being fooled by a witch. Stop being naive…”
Victor slammed him against the wall closest to them, it cracked and splintered with the force of the slam. His eyes locked on his father’s. The difference, Victor’s eyes looked yellow, his wolf wanted out.
Sargent growled at his son, “You’re pushing it, Boy.”
“You are the fool if you think that the heir that I am will wait unless you wise up.”
Luna Amber stepped in. She touched her son’s arm as well as her mate’s. “Sargent, you intend to step down and make Victor Alpha of the Pack…but right now he has no mate. Allow him to approach the females. If there is something to it and he lands the right one, it will elevate the prestige of your blood as he will become King. Let him.”
Hearing his Luna’s take actually started to calm down the Alpha. It cleared his thoughts and Sargent decided that there could be some reason to it all. “Victor, it is only December 15th, the hunt is in six days. trust your instincts. If you claim the right one before the 20th, when they will be arrested, she is yours.”
The Alpha-to-be calmed down. “So I can claim one. OK.” He stepped back from his sire. “I have an interest in the Hartly girl. Call it instinct.”
“Pursue her then.”
Nikki, the Elder, over heard the chat on the way out. She always thought of Reign as an adopted daughter. Having heard that the red head resided on the hunter’s lest and Victor Myles looking to pursue her, she needed to talk with her about the situation.
She took her leave and headed back to the pack house.
Secretly, a young lady had been an interest to the Alpha heir. Just how deep does his obsession run…see for yourself. This is an insert from a coming story of mine that is currently being worked on. I give you “Ghost Shadow”.
© 2024 Ghost Shadow Coming Soon
by Valerie Claussen
Evergreen hillsides once stretched across my homeland, cradling rivers of sparkling turquoise that ran as deep as the tallest mountain. I yearned to return to Murvelthor—to seek survivors, mend its shattered lands, and restore the beauty stolen from it. Yet, a shadowed duty far more urgent held me back.
Before my eyes fell upon the man who called himself Lohthord, I agreed to marry King Cordenian—a gray-bearded widower with no heirs who sought a bride of childbearing age. My decision came not from duty or love but from a burning desire for revenge. Cordenian had ordered the raid that stole the vibrant Beringon trees from our land. These teal pears that shimmered like jewels in the sunlight, rumored to grant extraordinary longevity, had lured him into greed and destruction. When his guards met resistance, they left our village in smoke and ash. I survived by masking my lavender skin, adopting one of the dull human tones of my oppressors, and stowing away on one of their ships.
For years, I hid in the shadows and caves of Cordenian’s kingdom, watching and learning their ways, mimicking their movements until I could pass as one of them. When the right moment came, I transformed into a being of impossible beauty, surpassing even their most lusted-after ideals. I made my dramatic debut along the shore, draped in scraps of sheer beige fabric that clung to my soaked feminine curves, where the guards found me and brought me to the castle. King Cordenian’s lust expedited a proposal, and I accepted with a smile, concealing the storm of hatred that churned within me. On our wedding night, as the revelers celebrated, I planned to slip into the shadows, disguised as a scaled creature—a form sure to catch the head guard’s attention. I’d flee the scene, then revert to my regal visage and sound the alarm, feigning grief over my murdered husband.
Everything changed the morning before our nuptials. A ship appeared on the horizon with massive, tattered white sails billowing in the wind. The vessel’s crew claimed to have narrowly escaped a ferocious storm and sought aid to repair their ship before their voyage home. Dark, wavy hair cascaded onto the captain’s broad shoulders, but his sparkling amber eyes held me captive—Lohthord. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, yet it was enough. Despite only craving my own kind’s touch and never having any attraction for humans, something stirred within me, and my body quivered with desire. In that breathless moment, my carefully laid plans began to unravel. Lohthord awakened a hunger I had long buried—ever since the day my heart broke as I watched my betrothed, the kind and handsome prince of Murvelthor, a lavender-skinned shapeshifter like me, vanish in a sea of blackened smoke.
Lohthord’s eyes narrowed as the king introduced me as his fiancée, Detramenia, a new name I had chosen for myself.
“You seem familiar. Have we met?” he asked.
I shook my head.
After Lohthord paid the king three gold coins for materials to repair the sails, he invited him to join us for a pre-wedding celebration meal. The captain politely refused and proceeded into the village with his crew, heading toward the only tavern. I pretended to need a nap, transformed myself into an aged handmaid with missing teeth, and snuck out to spy on the stranger.
Despite my haggard appearance, Lohthord, locked his gaze on me several times before inviting me to join them.
He grinned. “What do they call you?”
I stammered over my words. “Detra—I mean Liadertrie.”
He and his crew laughed.
I scowled at their mockery. “What sort of name is Lohthord? Is that even your true name?”
He grinned as he whispered, “No. It is not. And I suppose Liadertrie is your alias?”
My face heated with embarrassment. “Thank you for the ale. I best be on my way.”
“Yes. Best not to keep the king waiting, Detramenia.”
I stood.
Lohthord reached for my hand, sending a feeling of warmth throughout me. “Stay.”
“People are staring.”
“Let them.”
“I—can’t.” I took a step away. “I shouldn’t be here.”
Lohthord stood and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Do you not recognize me?”
I pulled away. “No. I do not.”
He brushed his hand against my wrinkled face. “Look closer.”
People crowded around and teased the handsome captain for flirting with a woman who looked old enough to be his grandmother.
Lohthord ignored them. “Come with me. Leave this place behind.”
Despite his charm and longing for him, I remembered my plan for revenge. “I must stay until my work here is done.”
He followed me out the door and behind the old wooden building. “You do not belong with these people. You belong with me.”
“I am not who you think I am.”
“But you are.” Lohthord closed the space between us. “I’ve searched many years for you. Come.”
The crew appeared.
Tears filled my eyes. “I cannot.”
“Tell me you love the king. Tell me you want to marry him tonight. Swear it, and I’ll leave as soon as our sails are mended.”
“Why are you asking such things? I am but an old woman. Can you not see the lines that time has etched into my face?”
“I see the façade, but that does not change what I know to be true.”
“And what is that?”
“That a prince who loved a kind and beautiful young maiden spent every waking moment searching for his bride since the fires consumed her village. He vowed not to cease his quest until his eyes met hers, and he could bring her back to their world. No disguise could veil the beauty he sees in her.” Lohthord knelt before me. “I have loved you since the moment we met, and I will not leave these shores without you by my side, Mellawen.”
I gasped.
“Thadrion?”
“Yes.”
Joyful disbelief surged through me, and my heart fluttered as his hands held mine. “It cannot be. I thought you were dead.”
“I am not.” His skin returned to its natural lavender hue long enough to reveal his true self. “We never needed the fruit from the tree they stole. We’re immortal. We only let them believe we died so they would never return. The fruit is a legend—it nourishes, but the pears cannot stop death.”
“Immortal? We cannot die?”
“We cannot, but you must come home and drink from our waters.”
“How is that possible? All living things expire.”
“Our immortality and ability to transform comes from Murvelthor’s rivers. Your parents never told you the truth about our kind?”
“They did not.” I paused. “Is this real?”
Thadrion beamed. “Indeed, my love.”
“Having you here with me feels like a dream woven from the deepest longings of my heart.” Overcome with an indescribably yearning for his touch, I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around him as tears of bliss streamed down my cheeks. “I have always only wanted you. I was never going to consummate my union with the king. I only came to seek revenge.”
His voice softened, “Our people are alive and well. We have everything we need—except you. Come home with me. The king is a thief, but no one has died. His sins do not warrant death. His lust for you will leave him with great despair, and that shall be punishment enough. In time, he will find another bride. You, my dearest love, are mine alone.”
A radiant smile broke across my lips, and I kissed him with a fiery passion, my heart ablaze with a happiness I had thought forever lost.
I’m finally going home. I’ve so longed to marry Thadrion and feel the warmth of his lavender flesh against mine.
Learn more about Valerie and her literary work by visiting her website.
© 2024 Valerie Claussen
by Empress Bella Rose
Maui had always been a place of light. The sunrise over Haleakalā Crater bathed the island in golden hues, its lush forests pulsed with life, and the rhythmic crash of waves brought a steady, timeless peace. But now, an unsettling change had swept across the land. The clouds twisted and churned, darkening until it seemed night had fallen in the middle of the day. The ocean’s waves wailed against the shore, their once-constant rhythm breaking into a chaotic frenzy.
It was as if the heart of the island itself faltered.
Paulfin stood on the cliffs overlooking the sea; his staff planted firmly into the trembling ground. The sharp scent of salt and rain hung heavy in the air, and an unnatural stillness settled over the landscape. Beside him sat Diamonds, his beloved companion—a sleek Siamese cat with cream-colored fur. His magical abilities—an inheritance from generations of mystical felines—allowed him to sense shifts in energy that others could not. Now, his fur bristled, his tail flicking in restless unease.
“Do you feel it?” Paulfin asked, his voice steady despite the growing dread.
Diamonds crouched low, his sleek, cream-colored fur darkening at the points as the wind whipped around him. His sapphire-blue eyes narrowed, glinting with an intensity that matched the storm’s ferocity. “It’s worse than faltering,” he said, his voice sharp and clear. “The island’s heartbeat—it’s irregular, chaotic. The energy isn’t just shifting; it’s breaking apart.”
Paulfin shuddered, his voice breaking, “Reality itself is fracturing, its edges fraying under the weight of the Nothing’s influence.”
Diamonds turned to him, his sharp gaze narrowing. “We need to find Marissa and call to our allies in the Anami Loka.”
In the ethereal realm of the Anami Loka, where cascading light fell across celestial gardens and ancient waterfalls sang with timeless harmony, StarLight and SnowLion stood beside the radiant pool known as the Mirror of Realms. The two white Persian cats, their silken fur shimmering with a light that seemed to emanate from within, gazed deeply into the mirror’s surface.
The Mirror reflected chaos—a storm raging across Maui, its once-stable energy trembling under the weight of an unnatural force. Shadows crept across the landscape, twisting and multiplying. At the heart of it, a dark rift pulsed with malevolence.
“It’s begun,” StarLight said, his golden eyes narrowing. “The Nothing is using the island’s fractures to anchor itself.”
SnowLion’s calm voice carried a weight of wisdom. “They cannot face this alone. If Maui falls, the disruption will ripple across all realms. We must guide them.”
Elyse, now a Guardian of the Anami Loka, stepped forward from the glowing mist. Her silver robes flowed like liquid moonlight, and her presence radiated both power and serenity. “Then send the message,” she said. “They must know the balance of all worlds depends on their unity.”
StarLight closed his eyes, his mind reaching across the veil to Marissa. His voice resonated through the connection, calm yet commanding: “The Nothing’s hold is growing. The timelines are fracturing. You must act quickly, or Maui will fall. Draw strength from your bond to the island—and each other. Trust in the light.”
But the message drifted, fragmented in the void between realms. On Maui, Marissa stood by the window, her gaze fixed on the storm outside. A faint whisper brushed the edge of her awareness, like a distant echo she couldn’t quite grasp. She frowned, her heart quickening, but the words remained elusive, just out of reach.
“Did you say something?” Marissa asked aloud, though the room remained silent save for the storm’s howl.
In the Anami Loka, StarLight’s golden eyes snapped open, a flicker of unease passing over his serene expression. “She didn’t hear me,” he murmured, turning to SnowLion. “The Nothing’s interference is stronger than we realized.”
SnowLion’s fur rippled, his deep voice steady. “Then we must amplify the connection. They will face the rift unprepared if they cannot hear us. Send a message to Diamonds; he’ll hear us.”
Marissa stood at her condo window, staring out at the storm churning over Lahaina. The streets below were quiet, the town’s usual bustle muted by the oppressive atmosphere. She pressed her hand against the glass, feeling its cold surface beneath her fingers.
In her mind, the vision replayed: flames engulfing the town, consuming homes and lives. People and animals fled the wilderness, their cries lost in the inferno’s roar. And then there was the Nothing—a dark, swirling mass that seemed to devour everything it touched, leaving only a hollow void in its wake.
Her breath hitched as the vision faded, but this time, it didn’t leave her in silence.
A voice—steady, reassuring—echoed in her mind.
“Marissa, you must act. The storm is only the beginning. The balance of Maui depends on your strength.”
“StarLight?” she whispered, struggling to hear him. The faint warmth of his presence wrapped around her, calming her nerves. “What do we do?”
“Go to Haleakalā,” StarLight’s voice replied. “The rift has opened there. Paulfin will guide you, and Diamonds will protect you. And remember: the light within you is stronger than the shadows surrounding you.”
A soft knock at the door pulled her from StarLight’s message. She opened the door to find Paulfin and Diamonds standing in the hallway, their faces etched with concern.
“You saw it, didn’t you?” Paulfin asked, stepping inside. His staff glimmered faintly, a reassuring presence amid the growing chaos.
Marissa nodded, her voice trembling. “Lahaina… I saw it burning. I don’t know if it’s a warning or something already happening.”
“It’s a fracture,” Diamonds said, his voice firm and measured. “A glimpse of what could be—or what will be if we don’t act.”
Marissa wrapped her arms around herself, her thoughts racing. “What do we do? How do we stop it?”
Paulfin placed a hand on her shoulder, his gaze steady. “We stabilize the timelines. But we’ll need guidance. Have you heard from Tonkin?”
Marissa shook her head. “Not since she returned to the Anami Loka. But… I feel her. Like she’s watching, waiting for the right moment to return.”
Diamonds’ ears twitched. “Then we don’t wait. If she’s out there, she’ll find us. For now, we go to Haleakalā. If the rift is growing, that’s where it’ll be strongest.”
The drive to Haleakalā was slow and tense, the storm growing more violent with each passing mile. Sheets of rain lashed against the car windows, and the once-familiar roads twisted in ways that defied logic as though the land itself was shifting beneath them.
Marissa gripped the wheel tightly, her knuckles white. “This doesn’t feel real,” she muttered. “Like we’re driving through a dream.”
“It’s the timelines,” Paulfin said, staring out the window. “They’re colliding. Past, present, and future are bleeding into each other.”
As they climbed higher into the mountains, the storm seemed to center above the crater. Lightning forked across the sky, illuminating the landscape in stark, jagged flashes. The ground trembled again, a deep, resonant vibration echoing from the island’s core.
“This is worse than we thought,” Diamonds said, his voice low. “The Nothing isn’t just feeding on the imbalance. It’s growing stronger.”
Paulfin’s grip tightened on his staff. “Then we need to stop it before it consumes everything.”
They reached the summit as the storm reached its peak. The wind howled through the crater, and the rain fell in torrents, pooling into small rivers that cascaded down the rocky slopes. The crater was surreal—its depths flickered with strange lights, shifting between vibrant colors and dark shadows.
Marissa closed her eyes, feeling the pull of something ancient and powerful. She reached out with her thoughts, calling to the higher realms. “Elyse… StarLight… can you hear me?”
For a moment, there was only the sound of the storm. Then, a faint warmth spread through her chest, and a familiar voice filled her mind.
“We hear you, Marissa,” Elyse said, her tone calm but urgent. “The Nothing’s influence has taken root in Maui’s heart. If you do not act quickly, it will spread beyond the island, unraveling more than just time.”
“What do we do?” Marissa asked, her voice trembling. “How do we stop it?”
StarLight’s voice joined Elyse’s, resonating with quiet power. “You must strengthen Maui’s connection to the Anami Loka. “Focus the ley lines around the crater,” Elyse instructed. “The island itself will resist the Nothing, but only if you channel its strength through your bond.
Marissa opened her eyes, her resolve hardening. “We’re ready.”
The forest around them was unnatural—too quiet, too still. Paulfin, gripping his staff, led the group through dense jungle trails where the air shimmered as though reality itself was fraying. Marissa followed closely, her breath hitching each time the ground trembled beneath them.
“Princess Tonkin emerged from the shadows, her silver fur dulled by the oppressive energy of the rift. ‘I felt you calling,’ she said, her voice steady despite the tension. ‘I couldn’t stay away.’”
“This must be where the rift is happening,” Paulfin murmured, his voice barely audible. The magic in the air was palpable, vibrating in strange, irregular pulses that made the hairs on Marissa’s arms stand on end. “The core rift. It’s ahead.”
The group emerged into a clearing ringed with ancient trees. The air was heavy and oppressive, and the landscape shifted as though caught between moments. Trees flickered between youth and decay. Shadows moved without a source, growing long and sharp, curling inward toward the center, where a dark mass pulsed—a chaotic void—the Nothing.
“It’s worse than we thought,” Marissa said, her voice trembling as she stepped closer to Paulfin. “It’s… alive.”
The Nothing shifted, expanding outward in a wave of darkness. The group froze as a cold and jagged voice filled the air.
“You have come to stop me,” it hissed, the words reverberating through their bones. “But you are too late. I am the end of all things.”
From the swirling mass emerged shadow creatures—twisted forms that seemed to grow from the void itself. Each was vaguely feline in shape but warped, with eyes like glowing embers and limbs that moved in unnatural, jerking motions. They surrounded the group, cutting off every escape.
Paulfin raised his staff, its tip glowing faintly. “We fight together. Marissa, stay with me. Diamonds watch the flanks. Tonkin—”
“I know what to do,” Tonkin interrupted, her voice steady. She stepped forward, her form shimmering faintly as she channeled energy from the Anami Loka. “These shadows may be many, but they are hollow. They cannot stand against us.”
The first wave of creatures lunged. Marissa swung a glowing shard of energy that Paulfin had given her, slicing through one shadow, which dissipated with a wail. Diamonds darted between two attackers, his claws flashing as he ripped through their smoky forms. Tonkin leaped, her movements fluid and precise as she struck down another.
Yet for every shadow they destroyed, more rose from the void, their forms twisting and changing, their voices mocking. One turned its gaze to Marissa, its face shifting into a distorted reflection of her mother. “The shadow creatures moved in unnatural, fluid waves, their forms flickering like broken reflections in water. Their voices blended into an eerie chorus, speaking not as individuals but as a singular, menacing force.”
“Marissa,” it whispered, its tone cruel. “Why didn’t you save me? Why did you leave me?
“Marissa’s breath caught, her mother’s face flickering in the shadow’s distorted features. The familiar eyes stared back, accusing and mournful, dredging up guilt she had buried long ago. She froze, torn between disbelief and the haunting question—what if it was her fault?”
Paulfin shouted something, but his voice seemed distant. The shadow lunged, its claws reaching for her—
—and was intercepted by Tonkin, who struck it with radiant energy. “Focus, Marissa!” she shouted, her blue eyes blazing. “It’s not real!”
Marissa steadied herself, taking a deep breath. She nodded, her resolve hardening as she raised her shard again. “You won’t trick me.”
Paulfin led the way down into the crater, his staff glowing brightly to light their path. The air grew colder as they descended, and the shadows around them seemed to shift and move, whispering faint, incomprehensible words.
“Stay close,” Paulfin warned, his voice steady. “The closer we get, the more it will try to turn us against each other.”
Marissa glanced at Diamonds, who padded silently beside her. His fur was damp, his darkened paws treading lightly on the slick rock. “You okay?”
Diamonds nodded, his gaze fixed ahead. “As long as we keep moving.”
They reached the crater’s center, where the ground pulsed with an unnatural energy. A dark rift split the earth, its edges writhing with shadowy tendrils that reached hungrily toward them.
“This is it,” Paulfin said, planting his staff firmly into the ground. “The Heart of the Nothing.”
Marissa stepped forward, her heart pounding as she faced the rift. She could feel the weight of its presence, the overwhelming despair it exuded. But she also felt something else—a flicker of hope, a connection to the island and its people.
“This isn’t just Maui’s fight,” she said softly. “This is all of us. Together.”
As they prepared to channel their energy into the rift, the ground beneath them shook violently. From the rift emerged a dark form, twisting and growing until it towered above them—a massive, serpentine figure with eyes like burning coals. Its shadowy tendrils writhed, each pulsing with a hunger that seemed to sap the air of warmth and light.
“You think you can stop me?” the Nothing hissed, its voice a cacophony of whispers and screams. “You are nothing against the void. My hunger is endless. My thirst is eternal. I will consume this world as I have consumed so many others.”
Marissa tightened her grip on her energy shard, her voice steady despite the chill running down her spine. “You lust for destruction, but we are more than what you take. This island, this light—it will endure.”
The Nothing roared, its tendrils lashing out with the force of a hurricane, each strike a manifestation of its boundless desire to devour and dominate.
As the group braced for the ensuing battle, Marissa felt the oppressive weight of the Nothing’s hunger clawing at her spirit, threatening to pull her into its endless void.
Excerpt from the fantasy novel, PUSSY CAT MESSAGES, published initially on VELLA.
© 2024 Ellen M Laura
