Will (Ash):

Who needed a spaceship when you had Lücan?

Normally, Will or Alründ told that joke telepathically at least once during a trip of starspeed. But as Lücan hurtled them through the stars, laughter seemed like a memory never to be heard of again. Maybe the joke had crossed Alründ's mind, too, but his wings and hair were whipping around in the chaos.

On any normal flight with Lücan, Alründ would've tucked his hair beneath his coat and retracted his wings—put on a shirt, at the very least—now those small things weighed upon Will's mind. There hadn't been time for preparations, only enough time to be terrified of why they'd left so suddenly.

As they flew towards the golden net that wavered above Lyrethan 's atmosphere, he was comforted by the barrier of sunlight that glistened between the threads—the protection as breathtaking as the planet within. That comfort fled as Lücan suddenly slowed his decent. Lyrethan's spirit slammed into Will like a million ghosts pleading for rescue. He could feel Lücan's pain as well, compounding his own, and he was relieved that Alründ had a penchant for shielding his spirit.

Lücan released the Sepheri and flew to his left, examining the protection of sunlight. Will flew across to him—wingless, like his mentor. Then he saw it, too. The threads of sunlight were frayed, leaving a gaping hole in the net that Lücan and his ancestors had made long ago. That kind of damage could only mean one thing... They had visitors. The terrifying kind.

Alründ sped through the frayed hole first, his wings cutting the wind as Will trailed behind him. They were headed toward home, to Lücan's palace perched upon the stone cliffs that bordered The Misty Sea. Not that far away, The Grand Waterfall spilled up over the clifftops and into the forest's streams below. But Lücan shot past the younger Sepheri and adjusted his trajectory for the heart of Querissa. Panic swept Will. He saw that same look in Alründ's eyes as they halted mid-air and changed course. They were now heading towards Lyrethan's largest city.

Spirit aching, Will soared over the stone stems that stood like the well-aged tree trunks surrounding them, each stem perched with a spirulet dwelling on top. The dwellings reminded him of an overstretched version of the Ace of Spades, but hundreds of them built from opaque glass. Each one was uniquely colored, all blown into the same teardrop-shape that shimmered in the twilight. As more spirulets passed beneath him, he searched the balconies that ringed the dwellings. Some had bountiful gardens draping over the edges, some were bare, but not a single person could be seen, and that made it all the more troubling as he spied his parents' spirulet—the place where he'd lived until he was five. Its purple-blue glass was overrun with pretty vines and flowers that had risen up from his mother's garden, crystals dangling everywhere to ward off evil. On the balcony, the glass doors were wide open. His father's weapon bag was lying in a heap, as if sorted through in haste. Will wanted to swoop down and check if his father was there, but Lücan and Alründ were already flying ahead.

As Lücan zeroed in on Querissa's market place, Will had no doubt that whatever was happening there his mother and father would be in the midst of it, defending anyone and everything.

Keep your minds closed, Lücan said, signing off.

Whenever his mentor said that Will knew who they were about to meet. But it couldn't be! An encounter with both Keenan and his father had never happened on Lyrethan before.

Burying his most guarded secrets, he put up an invisible wall around his thoughts. Some things he buried so deeply that he knew he would struggle to retrieve them later. That was the least of his worries. As he looked to the ground, people were running from the stalls, crying, some silent with fear, some whimpering as they clutched their children. He knew their faces, but the fear in their eyes blurred them together in the rush of it all.

Lücan had already found the cause for their alarm and made a sharp decent, launching at the beast of a man who had haunted Will and Ash's nightmares for years. Konstantin might have been as ancient as Lücan, but he'd aged rapidly since Will had seen him four months past. His white skin was lined and gaunt, and his nose was sunken, making his beady eyes all the more menacing. His black tail had clumps missing as it swished up dirt. His wings hadn't fared any better. Black feathers fell from his wings as he charged headfirst for Lücan. The two collided, Lücan pushing Konstantin up into the air like a cannonball rocketing into the clouds.

Will never tried pursuing them—that was Lücan's fight—but he did have a clear view of what had stood behind Konstantin. His son.

Keenan was on his knees, head bowed so that his black hair fell to the dirt, his black wings fluttering with euphoria. His fingernails clawed the dirt, and from his hands black veins rippled across the ground and fractured the dirt. Flying faster, Will watched in horror. He'd never seen Keenan feed, but he'd heard the stories. If the young reaper remained on the planet any longer that poison would spread further and deeper. Lyrethan would die. Will also knew that if any normal civilian set foot upon the poison they'd be dead in seconds. But he was not mortal, yet, and he landed several meters back from Keenan, ignoring the nausea that rolled over him as the poisonous veins spread beneath his boots.

Alründ couldn't hide his disgust as he flew a circle around the poison and landed on Keenan's right.

Keeping his gaze down, Keenan chuckled. "Ah, the homeless prince arrives. How does it feel to know you'll never have a planet to rule? I can't imagine."

Alründ stood there, fists white. "Can't you? Astaria is hardly what I'd call a planet fit to rule, not since you and your father decimated it. You have no people."

"Who needs people when I have shadows?"

Alründ laughed. It was exaggerated, cold as hell.

"Here's a deal," Keenan said lightly. "I'll give you Lyrethan when I'm through. I'll even rid you of your competition so you'll be the only remaining heir. It will be ready by morning. Not a particularly hard challenge now that our parents are fading. And with our little star missing, you seem like the obvious choice to inherit. Tell me, Al, are you liking my plan so far? Or has our little star been found?"

Alründ scoffed. "She is not yours."

"She is not yours either, I hear." He made a point of smiling up at Will. It was uncanny how Keenan's face was the mirror image of the ivy-haired boy standing meters away. Other than their wing and hair color, Alründ and Keenan could have been identical twins. No one had ever understood why. They were definitely not brothers—Alründ's parents had proof of that.

"She is not important," Alründ said, spitting at Keenan's feet.

"Oh, I think she is. I believe Will would certainly agree with me. Will?"

Will deliberated on his next move, Keenan designed that question to make me think of her, to give away her identity. It's what he always does. I need a diversion...

Thankfully, Will didn't have a hope of recalling her name with it locked in the recesses of his mind. As for her face, it was a blur of pretty colors. He smiled. "The only thing I agree with is you leaving. Fly away now, Keenan."

"Not today," he said, breezing his hands through the purple dirt. "I quite like it here." He rose to a stand and licked the dirt from his palm like a cat eating cream. Silver gildé beads raced over his pale skin as he reached an overload of pleasure. It was sickening to watch. Gildé were to be earned by respecting the land or to be shared between one another—not stolen. The more gildé one possessed the healthier they became. Lose too many and a person could become deathly ill or die. When used as currency gildé were returned to the land, letting their life-force exist in one harmonious cycle. But for Keenan or his father too take gildé straight from the source was not only forbidden, it was barbaric.

Will felt that same outrage in Alründ's spirit as they wielded their weapons at the same time, each Sepheri connecting their thoughts to the starshard diamond embedded into a silver bracelet. The diamond positioned on the inside of their wrists swirled with golds and reds and a golden light flashed inside, waiting for the moment they envisioned their weapon of choice. Alründ's starshard light extended into a golden broad sword with a gilded hilt that solidified as the blade shifted to molten lava. Sword ready, he ran across the cracks of poison and swung at Keenan's neck. Will raised his wrist and made a flicking motion. A burning arrow flew from his starshard. Its aim—Keenan's heart.

Keenan deflected both attacks at once, a quick snap up of his staff, then down. "I've missed you two. It's been too long."

"The shadows aren't so fun, after all?" Alründ snapped, drawing a lava bow and arrow.

Keenan shrugged and smiled. Then he did the unthinkable... He morphed to darkness in an instant, darker than any shadow or night that existed on this planet or Earth. He was a black hole, where light and life could be sucked in, but never shine, never escape, unless freed by Keenan himself.

Why did Al have to go on about the wretched shadows? thought Will, as he and Alründ ran backwards. The air behind Will pulled forward, along with a dust storm. Loose objects from the stalls flew past as he managed a short flight backwards. But the pull was too strong. Inch by inch, he was drawn closer, watching as the villagers hidden behind stalls went flying in Keenan's direction. He knew those six villagers by name, had grown up with several of their children, had shared drinks with them at the local bar, The Two Brews. Now he would watch them slip into the Shadowchambers of Keenan's prison, unlikely to be seen again. He wanted to close his eyes and pretend it wasn't happening, but Alründ screamed something to Keenan, bringing reality crashing back. Will stared on helplessly as the six villagers screamed to be saved. He could do nothing as one by one they were swept into Keenan's silhouette.

Keenan laughed and the gravitational pull ceased. Everything remaining fell to the ground, including Will and Alründ. Will squinted through the purple dust breezing through the air, horrified to see a shadolin stepping out of Keenan. Bald and muscular, shadolins were formed of shadows that could morph into a corporeal state at whim. They were swift and deadly.

The shadolin shifted to his master's side. Another shadolin stepped out, and then another. The shadolins rose into the air and merged. Flying like a black tornado, they entered the upper balcony of The Two Brews. Seconds later, Jasper's father, Xavier, was thrust onto the balcony, held in a shadolin's grasp.

The balcony in his sights, Will flew hard, speeding over Keenan's head, making it a race between himself and Alründ of who would reach Xavier first. A second shadolin reappeared, stepping behind Xavier. Will accelerated to speeds beyond anything he'd flown before, his voice hoarse as he screamed, "No! Keenan, stop this!"

Keenan smiled as the shadolin's arms wrapped around Jasper's father. Xavier screamed until he was absorbed into the shadolin's shadow.

Xavier! Uncle Xavier!

Will dreaded telling his father the news. Xavier...trapped in the Shadowchambers.

Survivors said it was a place of dark tunnels with nowhere to go, so captives gave up running. But Keenan knew exactly where to find them—every single time. Captives were to be interrogated, fed off until their gildé was no more. Worse, Keenan had hundreds of shadows living in the few remaining caves, hidden at the edge of the Simmering Sea, a short distance from Alründ's broken castle.

What am I going to tell Jasper? thought Will.

"Tell him what I'm about to tell you," Keenan said aloud.

"What?" Will said, his voice echoing in his head. Keenan heard me? I thought I was protected. No. More importantly, what does he mean?

"Your parents are gone."

"His mother?" Will gasped. "You took his mother, as well?"

"Actually, no." Keenan tilted his head. "But it seems you have missed the point."

"Don't listen to him, Will," Alründ said, nostrils flaring. He turned to Keenan. "What will it take for you to leave? Tell me."

Keenan held Will's gaze. "Your parents, Sepheri. I was speaking of your parents. When I said 'gone', I forgot to mention one small detail—Jasper's parents are still breathing."

"My parents?" Will breathed, fighting back tears. Keenan could not see him cry. Later. When he was alone. "You kill—?"

"It was not I. You can thank my father."

Will was amazed that Keenan wasn't smiling. But that didn't stop Will from soaring forward and slamming a lava sword at Keenan's chest. The sword slid clean through. Keenan looked down at the ever-moving blade through his chest, eyes wide for a split second. Will's small taste of victory fled as Keenan shifted into his silhouetted form, absorbing the life from the blade and stepping away. Alründ launched fiery arrow after arrow. Keenan absorbed them all. Their weapons were like children's toys against the reaper.

Will was sure it was out of pity that Keenan returned to corporeal form, his skin suddenly visible, as was the leather coat made from patches of animal hide. It was also possible that Keenan was enjoying himself and the company far too much.

The Sepheri lost track of time as punches, kicks, and weapons came and went. Keenan always healed, always fought stronger, faster, and an hour later Will and Alründ were staggering, clutching wounds that were slow to mend. The two Sepheri retreated to the edge of the poison, which had spread a good six meters in every direction.

"You asked what it would take for me to leave," Keenan said. "I believe the answer is simple. Her name. An image of her face. Give me those two things and we have a deal."

Alründ scoffed, making Keenan smirk a fraction.

Will wanted to be sick. He could barely think about his parents without wanting to collapse to the ground and break down—and now this! If he gave into Keenan's requests there was every chance he could lose her, too!

Will? Alründ called, opening a private channel between them. Give him nothing.

I would never, snapped Will.

I had to say it. Forgive me.

No. Will channeled his mentor. Lücan?

When Lücan didn't reply Will wondered how his mentor was faring with Konstantin—whether the fight was over and he'd rid the eldest reaper from the planet. They were having no such luck with Keenan.

Will? Lücan replied finally. Alründ?

We need help, Will said, thinking of his parents. He wanted to tell Lücan the news, that they were gone, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. Then again, Lücan probably knew.

Keenan is going to wipe out the planet if he remains much longer, Alründ explained to the Head Sepheri. He is offering a deal—her name and face in exchange for his departure. But that is clearly out of the question!

I don't think it is, Lücan said gravely. Konstantin has taken all of my strength, which means we have no choice but to give into Keenan's demands. But we must negotiate the price. Her name and nothing more. Then he may have his deal.

Lücan! You can't be serious? Alründ objected.

I have never been more so, I'm afraid.

I'll do it, Will said. As soon as he said the words he feared that separating her name from her face might prove impossible. Once he unlocked those secrets again, there was the chance of revealing so much more.

You are too closely linked, Lücan said. Alründ should make the exchange.

No. There must be another way, Alründ said.

If you can think of one, by all means. But I believe you will be disappointed.

Then I refuse!

If that's true, Keenan has won. Lyrethan will suffer the same fate as Astaria.

Will grabbed his friend's shoulder. Alründ, you must!

Alründ shook him off and turned towards the Town Square. Whatever he was debating, it caused his wings to pinch together. The silence grew strained as Keenan's gaze shifted from Will to Alründ, but Alründ continued to stare at the Clock of Fates in the distance. The clock lay as a gigantic slab of white marble with ten golden hands, each hand wider than the next. The thinnest hands sped at a frantic pace, counting nano-seconds, milli-seconds, and seconds. The medium hands counted the minutes, hours, days, months, and years. Two of the larger hands had never moved—at least Will had never seen them, and he had no idea what they were for. Unless Alründ could see something more...

Alründ? Lücan prompted.

I don't trust myself, he whispered, wings tensing.

Trust me, then, Keenan said.

Alründ stiffened, turning to meet Keenan's gaze.

"I'll accept Lücan's terms," Keenan said. "Her name only."

Tension swept Alründ's features as he closed his eyes. Will knew what was happening. Alründ was tapping into those guarded secrets, trying to separate them in his mind. Will just prayed that his friend knew what he was doing. If he failed...

Alründ took a deep breath, and said, "Ashala."

💫

(This is chapter was originally very long, so it's in 2 parts for WP. Continue over the page!)

Hope you're enjoying!