Since the dawn of humanity the supernatural world has always co-existed with humans, though many would never believe it.
In Portland, Oregon something mysterious is afoot. When Malika Hawthorne, daughter of the Queen of Fae, is approached by an air...
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
The duo had arrived moments earlier but were still sitting in Malika's car outside a dingy-looking building in an area of Portland one might not expect. Malika and Olivia peered through the windshield.
"Are you sure this is the right place? Who are we looking for all the way out here?"
Casting her glance towards Olivia, Malika could see nervousness and fear flitting across her soft facial features. The ride from the dumping site to the Northwest Industrial District had taken longer than expected with traffic.
"This is the place. Elisco tries his best to fit in with humans since being banished from the Krux." Both women climbed out of the car and rounded the front as Malika locked the vehicle with a click of a button. "Though his choice of location could have been better. This sort of works."
"What happened to him, anyway? I've never heard of a Krux being forsaken from their own kind." The question lingered for a moment before Malika offered any answers.
"I've heard a few different versions." Malika's brow knitted together momentarily before turning to Olivia. "I was told he lost a soul and could not retrieve it. The soul he lost is now highly sought after by all Krux, but no one has found it. Last I heard it's been about thirty years."
There was a pause in conversation as the two women walked towards an open chain-link gate. The driveway was cracked, and uneven in some parts but still usable. There were cracks everywhere, some gaping, others not too bad. No plants lived in the empty garden beds as a sense of dread filled Malika. She was not afraid of what was coming, but she was lucky enough to know what to expect.
"Are you sure it's safe to go in?" Olivia held her hand to her weapon, ready to draw it if need be.
"Have you ever encountered a Krux?" Malika glanced back at Olivia as they approached a small set of stairs leading to a door. "That sense of dread you feel is what some people near death feel. It is the mark of the Krux. They are shepherds of the departed and sometimes they'll arrive at death or just before. Dread is their way of showing souls they'll be cared for. I know it makes little sense to the living but somehow it makes sense to the dying." Malika paused for a moment and frowned. "For Elisco, it follows him like a dark cloud. He is still Krux, but no longer accepted among his kind."
"I don't understand." The response was quick. "This feels absolutely terrifying. It feels like all my burdens in life are baring down on me, like everything needs to be dealt with now. So many regrets and doubts. How is this possible?" Olivia shuddered, visibly upset by whatever it was she was feeling.
A slight grin snuck onto Malika's lips before she hid it. "That just means you fear death, Olivia, and that's okay. It is a big step for many to understand and embrace the idea of death." The words slid from her lips with little emotion. Malika knew she sounded cold. She knew very few shared her calmness for passing on to the afterlife, but she wasn't fearful.
