Spark

Immortals Den

A travelling merchant had passed me hours ago. Another human who had told me, after some coaxing, that he had passed the Pyre Army camped beneath their tents just as the sun was coming up.

When they were heading in.

He had told me they were on a trajectory toward the Endless Woods.

Still after me. I groaned.

Now nightfall was coming.

The Endless Woods were getting darker. The leaves bigger, which told me I was broaching the East Side of the Eternus Realm. I stepped over another log. Slipping on a pile of leaves I gasped and caught my skirt. Lifting it from my way so I could catch my balance.

My eyes flared orange and I was able to see in the dark. I took off my shoes and let talons extend from my toes to help me grip the muddy earth as I traipsed toward the orange glow of light in the distance.

Topping the hill, I saw where the trees parted to reveal the worn wooden tavern. It towered up with two floors.

The Immortals Den.

“Ugh.” I groaned. Wanting to go anywhere but in there. But I’d been hunted most of the day.

By the Pyre army.

They were driven and didn’t need sleep. The one benefit to me, was that they couldn’t travel by day.

Thank the Savior.

Their highly tuned senses made the sun excruciatingly hot on their skin and blinding to their keen eyes.

Thus, why I’d fled through most of the day to escape them, and more importantly, their Commander. The monster, dead set on getting me in his grasp.

Gray. I hated the man with a fiery passion.

He seemed to enjoy my company just as much.

However, King Eternus was hell bent on having me under his thumb. To unlock all his beasts, no doubt.

My gift meant I could reveal what anyone was. A single touch could bring out whatever inner thing they hid. Be it shapeshifter or the bloodthirsty.

That made me a prized trophy for any leader.

What enemy could hide from me?

Anyone who didn’t know of their power, could be revealed by my magic. The possibilities were limitless for those that understood my capabilities.

For anyone who might control it. Controlling me in the process.

King Eternus thought so too.

Damn him.

The king was the reason I’d ended up in Elijah Frost’s grip to begin with. The Lord had caught me with the expectation that he was to turn me over to the neighboring king.

Even thinking such things had me in a fine rage.

Of course, he’d still been considering if that’s what he was going to do.

It was a fact that I inspired the most primal level of greed in the monsters.

And the humans.

Thus, every creature wanted to be around me. And once they had me were addicted as if I were some fine opiate, they couldn’t get enough of.

When all I want, is left alone.

***

The sign notifying I’d arrived at the Immortals Den swung in the whistling wind. White paint depicted a long tooth, which nearly luminesced in the moonlight. Creaking eerily as I followed the yellow candlelight to the tavern. Just outside the window I could already feel the heat seeping out. Warming me in all the places I was bone-deep cold.

Peering inside I saw only cloaked figures. None bearing the gold plaited chain mail that would indicate they were Pyre Army, King Eternus’ Knights. Only cloaked men drinking tankards of ale. I knew the Immortals Den had originally been built for the Eternus breed. However, when the Endless Woods became so overgrown over the centuries to separate the tavern from the Eternus Kingdom, it became a sanctuary for all manner of odd beasts. Some residing there, for years.

“Where are you?” A masculine voice asked from near me.

I glanced sideways and groaned aloud at the sight of a dark puddle on the ground next to me. My shoulders slumped at the sight of the man with long black hair and silvery eyes. “Ugh.”

“Speak to me, Spark.” He pleaded. Watching as I circled the puddle.

“Like I’m ever going to tell you.”

“A man can keep hoping.”

“Go away, Orin!” I stomped in the puddle to disperse his image floating atop it, surrounded by the silvery glow of the moon. Hoping to drive him off.

He drew the ripples back to the center and made them cease completely. Making the surface smooth again, until it once more looked like a dark stone. Hardening his image.

I lifted my foot to stomp in it again. Determined to scatter him.

And make him stop bloody watching me.

It had long ago gotten old.

“Stop watching me!” I lifted my cloak with every intention of stomping repeatedly, but his hand catching my bared ankle slowed me.

“Come to me, My Spark…” Orin crooned in a sing song voice.