Chapter Seven

Olivia the Enchantress

If you embrace a blessing then be prepared to face its curse

Vasilias

Earth/Bliss (Mount Bloom) EarthYear 989

"Yes, we chose you because each one of you has a distinct quality that fits the five dimensions of the Pente Potens. Elements, time, space, minds and the leader, the bond who binds them together."

Theoreous was not the one to accept the bait until he had scrutinized it from every angle. "My lord, as far as I know, every coin has a flip side. The offer looks too tempting to be true."

"I know what is going through your mind Theoreous. The flip side of this offer is that you have to spend ten more years on Earth, working vigorously towards building an army."

That didn't sound too dangerous. "That's it?" Baelor asked.

"Wars claim lives and you have to understand what happens if any of you gets killed in this battle. His Soul will get splintered. A part of him will be born on the Earth but another will be stuck in Inferna."

Now they were talking business. Theoreous quickly processed the different scenarios. "If we win the war but unfortunately any of us gets killed in the process, we can raise his Soulment part to the Earth and send it to Bliss. His human part will anyhow reach Bliss after completing five decades on Earth. It may take some time but he should be whole again."

"But what if we lose the war?" Sherwin's face had turned pale when he asked that.

Gilbert, the most learned of all the humans in the world, had an elaborate answer for his friend's query. "If we get killed and lose the war, then no one will be able to help us. Those demons will take out their vendetta on the Potens who marshaled the troops against them. They will neither let our Soulments rise to the Earth nor our human forms ascend to Bliss. Our souls will never become complete for the Hereafter and we will be stuck in these worlds for a long long time."

Antionne steepled his fingers in front of his face. "You all will have enormous powers at your disposal. If you use them wisely, you shall prevail."

Vasilias got up from his chair and walked toward Antionne. "Your Majesty, you are the Lord of Bliss. I am sure you can tweak a few rules and ensure that we don't fall, even if we fail."

"This system has been laid down by the Supremes and I am just a guardian. I can't make any changes even if I want to. One who gets killed, whoever he is, and for whatever reason, his Soul has to splinter." Antionne paused for a few seconds and then looked into Vasilias's eyes. "I want to be clear that this is a natural process that happens on its own and no one, not even the Lord of Bliss, can stop it. If you embrace a blessing then be prepared to face its curse."

***

Mysha

Earth (Australia) EarthYear 1998

"I wanna try my luck with her if you're not interested." Brendon was slowly getting back to his normal pervy ways. Max was happy that he was coming out of shock but this particular question warranted a cold look.

"Jeez, Max! Spare me those death stares. I've already got a fair share of 'em from Mysha. But it's been five days n ya've not as much as looked at each other."

The poodle appeared near the dining table. "Harbux thinks that you don't stand a chance with Miss Mysha. Even if you are the last person left on this planet."

"I hate talkin' dogs. I'm gonna shoot down one such wild dog someday."

"Holy Angels! We need to find Hubbert before he plans anything else, and your loggerhead isn't helping our cause," Ryan said tucking into his sixth omelet. "By the way Brendon your butler makes some awesome eggs."

"He's already askin' for a pay hike since ya've arrived. He says ya don't even give him time to use the washroom. He stinks like an egg now."

Ryan ignored the jibe and turned to Mysha. "Good Heavens, don't you think it is time to patch up?"

"Well Ryan, being called a heartless tyrant may be normal for you but I can't just forget that someone called me evil and monster and demon and whatever came to his mind."

"Ryan, for someone's information, I never used the word monster. And I didn't point fingers at anyone. I used the third person perspective to raise my concerns."

"Ryan, tell him that it was kind of crystal clear who was the target of his taunts."

"Ryan, people with guilty consciences always feel that others are blaming them, you know."

"For God's sake Ryan, he first called me a tyrant, a demon, and now a guilty criminal. Let it all spill out. Let me see what more venom he has for me"

Mysha and Max were sitting in the opposite corners of the room. Brendon was turning his face from one corner of the room to the other, like watching a tennis match, while Ryan, unflustered by the drama was on to his seventh omelet.

"Mate, ain't they talkin' to ya?" Brendon asked Ryan

"Holy Angels no! They are seemingly not talking to each other so directing their words at an imaginary Ryan standing in between. This has been going on for the last few days. I tried to mediate in the beginning but then realized that I wasn't required at all."

The verbal volleys at a non-existent Ryan continued until out of nowhere, Mysha charged at Max and knocked him down on the couch.

"How dare you turn your back to me. How dare you slam the door in my face. How dare you," Mysha shouted stabbing her finger into Max's chest.

"Bless the Souls! I assume the imaginary Ryan the mediator has disappeared and it is one on one fight now. Fasten the seat belts."

Brendon rubbed his hands. "Yeah, things r warmin' up now. Bloody oath! She's so hot when she's furious."

"Well, how dare you call me all those filthy things. You just stabbed my soul a thousand times." Tears began streaming down Mysha's cheeks.

"Jeez, no! Girls n their tears always spoil the fun," Brendon mumbled under his breath.

"You called me a merciless tyrant. A heartless demon. You asked me if I will kill Harbux. How dare you even think of that?" Mysha mumbled through her sobs and started landing soft blows on Max's chest. "For God's sake Max, you are the person who sees right through my soul, and yet this is what you think I am? Do you see only darkness inside me? Max, you have shattered my heart into a million pieces."

Max pulled Mysha towards him and held her in a tight embrace. "I am sorry. I went too far, you know. I shouldn't have said those things to you."

"Crikey, here goes my chances with her, n ya chances as well, baby giant," Brendon whispered to Ryan, who was watching this emotional drama with moist eyes. "Mate, I've got broad shoulders if ya wanna cry."

Mysha was still sobbing in Max's embrace. "Well, you are the best thing that has happened to me. Supernatural connection or not, you and I share a bond that transcends everything. Just the thought of you hating me sucked the life out of me. Whatever happens, don't ever walk out on me. Drive one of your daggers through my heart before you think of doing anything like this to me again."

"Mysha, don't say that. That was just some anger spilling over. I can never even imagine leaving you. It is five days since we fought and I haven't even gone out of the house."

"Strewth, such love," Brendon said, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eyes. "Such brother-sister bond nowadays doesn't exist even between real brothers n sisters."

Mysha and Max glared at him in unison.

"Zounds, ya both look like twins when ya stare at me like that. Now, if ya've finished squabblin' we gotta do some work. I hope ya've not forgotten that there r still demons out there lookin' to kill us. Now let go of each other n let some air pass between ya two, or else ya'll end up creatin' a vacuum."

Max and Mysha broke the hug and walked over to the dining table where Brendon's butler Mark served another omelet to Ryan.

"I think you should buy a poultry farm if your friends are staying here for a few more days," he said through clenched teeth while returning to the kitchen.

"Demon's curse, you forgot to put cheese in this," Ryan called out to the butler after taking a bite from his eighth omelet.

Brendon opened his tab and showed them a picture. "While yous were busy role-playin' a pissed-off couple I did some yakka n came up with this. That's the pic of the so-called bombin' suspect captured in the hotel's CCTV cams. That's classified info, pulled a few strings to get that."

Ryan stopped eating to look at the picture. "Inferna's wrath! It is him. Hubbert."

"Okies okies, let me think. This means he was here himself to finish you off. Tell me, is there any footage of him leaving the hotel?"

"Nah."

"So where did he disappear?"

"Holy Angels! Max, I swear in the name of the Almighty I saw him in that fire and then underwater. He was there. I can never forget those eyes."

Brendon's butler Mark appeared in the room. "Harbux has told a million times that a human, with flesh and bone, cannot be in that fire. The face you saw was one of Hommer's splintered Souls."

"Zounds, don't take Mark's avatar. He's gonna have a heart attack if he sees another himself."

"Harbux assumes he will be much better seeing his doppelganger rather than seeing a talking poodle."

"So tell me, where did Hubbert go after setting those demons loose on us?" Max asked.

Mark shrugged. "How would poor Harbux know? Maybe he whooshed out of the balcony like you all did. Didn't he disappear after he trapped Master Ryan in that factory?"

Mysha was back to fidgeting with the lock of her hair. "Well, he is wreaking havoc on every Dark Night. We must catch him before he tries anything else."

"Sweetie, here's the big question. How r we gonna catch him? He'd be anywhere by now. It's a small world but still big enough."

Wow Mysha, now he is calling you sweetie, in front of your boyfriend.

Mystic, this is how he talks.

Soon he will kiss you and you will say this is how he behaves. Right?

Mystic, he won't go that far.

You never know, Mysha. He doesn't know the meaning of control.

Okay, then I must teach him to behave.

"Mister I-have-garbage-inside-my-brain, I have told you I hate all this sweetie crap," Mysha said brandishing her fist.

"Yeah, ya fall in the hot n spicy category, but that doesn't fit in my sentences."

Hot and spicy. He seems to have tasted all of you.

Mystic, why can't he speak a single straight sentence?

Told you Mysha, this guy is trouble.

Mystic, I just don't know how to set him straight.

Max's brain was again up and running once he had patched up with Mysha. He chose to keep Brendon in complete ignore mode. "Guys, I have an idea. If we can't track him down, we can certainly lure him to us, you know. Let me tell you, he is desperate to finish us off."

The butler made a loud grunt. "The Dumbest RightHeart is back to being stupid. You kids barely survived his last two assaults and you want to lure him to you."

"For someone's information, on both those occasions, we were caught by surprise in unknown territory. But this time we will take him down on our well-prepared customized battlefield."

"Well, we kind of don't know how many soulments he has at his disposal. If he attacks us with all his might even our home territory might not be enough." Mysha expressed her doubts about this tactic.

"Let me tell you, we have to be cautious and do some elaborate planning. But I am sure we can pull this off."

"N where'll we ensnare this bugger? A full-fledged battle of soulments in a public area'll only get him some fresh recruits."

Max gave a mysterious smile. "I have a place in mind but we will have to be very careful, you know. We can't afford him getting suspicious."

***

Brendon came down into the hall where everyone was already waiting for him. "Mates, everythin' packed? Ready to go?"

"You are late," Max said tapping on his golden watch. "We have been waiting an hour for our superstar to make his grand appearance."

"I've booked the first class for the five of us?" Brendon tried to duck under Max's bouncer.

"Five of us?" Mysha raised an eyebrow.

"Strewth, didn't I introduce ya to Olivia?"

A girl with flowing black hair, deep blue eyes, dimpled cheeks, a spotless radiant face, toned long legs and a curvaceous figure glided into the room. She seemed to have walked straight out of a Hollywood magazine.

"Mates, that's Olivia, my assistant."

Great. He is bringing his bomb shell assistant with him

Mystic, does this guy has a brain or not? How are we supposed to complete our missions with this girl with us?

Mysha, his brain is in his pants.

Mystic, I think I agree with you on this.

"Well, nice to meet you, Olivia. But Brendon, we can't take her with us for some kind of very obvious reasons."

"Let me tell you something Brendon, she is smoking hot," Max said with his eyes glued to Olivia. "Maybe six to seven years younger and you could have flaunted her as your girlfriend."

"Oh no! I knew something was off," Olivia said pulling out a small mirror from her handbag. "I am looking older than the group. Just a second."

Olivia winked and everyone in the room gasped.

"God... How... Why... What..." Max blurted staring with wide eyes at Olivia who was now a ten years younger version of her earlier self. "Olivia is your Guardian?"

Brendon shrugged. "Yeah, n she likes to stay in her human form, so I've booked a cabin for her as well."

Mysha's poodle instantly turned into a tall and muscular young man. "Same old Olivia, can't help herself from flaunting her looks."

Olivia gave him a long cold stare. "Same old Harbux, can't help himself from being grumpy like a grizzly bear. So old man, should I say I am pleased to see you because you know I am not?"

"I assume ya both know each other?" Brendon asked the two non-humans in human avatars.

"Yes, but my boy this is not good news because I don't like working with people who think too highly of themselves and don't care for others' feelings."

"You shouldn't have come here," Harbux mumbled.

"I didn't need your invitation," Olivia shot back.

"Her human form is so gorgeous, so beautiful." Max was still scanning her from top to bottom. "Harbux, tell me how is she so damn real? You said only level-fives can take perfect human forms and there are only four such Soulments in Inferna."

"She is one of the four," Harbux said through pursed lips.

"And shouldn't you add that I am the only female to reach that level, ever?"

Harbux is right. This girl loves to show off.

Mystic, she is so pretty. Like a Disney princess or maybe an Enchantress of Bliss.

Or a demon from hell. Mysha, don't forget, this is not her real form. And just have a look at your pathetic boyfriend. He is ogling at her like a hungry dog.

Max! Pervert. He is a goner.

"For God's sake Max, don't you think your eyeballs will pop out of their sockets if you don't stop staring at her?"

Max came back out of his trance and gathered himself. "For someone's information, I was checking for any discrepancies in her avatar. Some shakiness or any other signs to identify she is not human."

"Well, are those discrepancies supposed to appear only around her ample bosoms or long legs? Because you seem to be concentrating only there."

"The Dumbest RightHeart keeps showing off his perversion with his ignorance. He should know that when level five Marids take a human form there is no aura, or any paranormal signals, coming out of them. It is impossible to distinguish them from humans until they use some of their otherworldly powers."

"Such control comes after a lot of hard work. But some male chauvinists don't like a girl soaring to new heights." Olivia was landing punch after punch on Harbux

"Bloody gnarly Olivia! Ya fooled the Great Djinnnn of Inferna. Even he couldn't recognize ya."

"Master Brendon, Harbux knew about Olivia's presence the moment he appeared in your hotel room to save you from the fireball. He can sense her even from far away. Harbux's eyes will always see her whatever form she takes."

"Were those lines supposed to flatter me, because that sounded more scary than romantic? You haven't changed in a thousand years."

Harbux ignored Olivia's jibe. "If the damsel is traveling as a human then Harbux is also not turning back into that poodle. He is staying as he should, in the form of a tall muscular handsome brawny, and intelligent young man."

"See! The male ego," Olivia needled Harbux.

"And Harbux needs a private cabin as well."

"Well, that is ridiculous," Mysha cried.

"Then you can find some other Guardian for yourself. Harbux is going on a strike." Harbux disappeared with a whoosh.

"For God's sake Brendon, couldn't you have introduced your girl on some other day?"

"Strewth, she just returned from her break n I thought they'll be happy to see each other. Members of the level-five-Marid club. How'd I know they've got a history? Now what?"

"Book another cabin on that damn ship or else you will be the one sharing a room with Harbux."

***

Max took Brendon and Ryan on a tour around the large cottage situated in the woods. "Boys, welcome to Windsor, our training ground,"

"Trainin' ground?" Brendon asked scanning the acres of space all around the cottage.

"This is my dad's ancestral property, you know. Mysha and I used to test our special skills here."

Ryan audibly cleared his throat. "Bless the Souls, wish I had such a place to practice. I almost burnt down my orphanage trying to master the fire."

"Here you have all the space to play with your elements."

"When'll Mysha join us?" Brendon asked.

"Mysha's mom found out that there were no field trips in the last month. Now she thinks Mysha is in some bad company or maybe even she takes drugs. Let me tell you, there is no end to Alicia's imagination."

"Jeez, since she's always seen Mysha with ya can't blame her for worrying about Mysha's bad company." Brendon took a jibe.

"Someone must know that his jokes aren't that funny. Anyways we must let her stay a few days with her mother. She also has to take care of a few aspects of our mission before she joins us here. Now will someone please tell me, how are our preparations going at the other cottage?"

Brendon tapped his foot and Olivia appeared on his side, looking as ravishing as ever.

Ryan couldn't take his eyes off her smooth long legs. "Holy Angels! Can't you wear long dresses? This is kind of disconcerting."

"My boy, I was a princess during my days on Earth. I had to wear long dresses and robes, right down to my heels, but I still had this same effect on men. Beauty is hard to hide."

Brendon chuckled. "So my princess, did ya send out the soulments to that other place?"

"Yes, most of our sparable Souls have been sent there. The Grumpiest Marid of Inferna is looking over the arrangements there."

"Okies okies, but will that be enough to convince Hubbert?" Max asked.

"Yes, that place is so abuzz with paranormal activity that any of his scouts will locate it from miles away."

"Princess, do ya think he'll take the bait?"

"My boy, obviously, Harbux knows them better, but as far as I know, you can count on Hommer's intelligence."

"Zounds, let's hope so n get to work. We've got a lot to do here."