The Shadow behind the Light

Chapter seven: The Altréz

It was dark when Juni contacted me. We haven't spoken in what felt like centuries, so I was relieved to hear him. After catching up he told me that like always, his visit wasn't for no reason. On this day he tasked me with my last task. And I refused, for the first time ever, I stood up to Juni. And I refused a task.
My task was to kill Ezen. But I would not. Looking back now I wondered if that if I had done it would I even be telling my story now. Maybe I would be in darkness or still be Juni's Altréz. If I had completed this task then I may not have met Raven, or Zenithe, or Tréa and Feré. Perhaps I would be darker, more corrupt. If I had completed this task then Juni would have probably still been exiled, and Zen would still be in his throne still. Maybe if I had completed this task, then maybe, just maybe, Aleahx would still be alive. But I'll never know as that is not the path I took. I refused my master Juni, because my emotions got in the way. It's Ezen's fault. It's Ezen's fault that this is happening. It's HER fault that I'm like this. It's her fault I'm being hunted. It's my fault he is dead. "It's not your fault Shaddo. It is  Ezenqui's fault that he died. She is blaming you for the future SHE made you take." The shadow next to me says. She is right, I think.

Juni told me that the ones I had killed, the previous 39, were Altréz of the Gonichooia, the head of the Gödes. He told me that Ezen was of age to be his next Altréz.

Juni, of course, was right, as always.

Ezen because Altréz of the Gonichóoia three days after I refused Juni. Juni contacted me after the ceremony. He said that our partnership had to end because if we were to be found out we would both be killed, no matter what. I know now that he was not exaggerating, even with Zen his twin, killing an Altréz was next to killing a Göde, inexcusable. Then why would he do it? It gave us power, leverage, relief, and get back at Zen, perhaps even pleasure, but I don't know. In reality, I never actually understood his reasoning or his motives, I just knew that I am an asset, a weapon in his arsenal, the strongest weapon, his sword in a dagger collection. You understand all that, right?

Life became strange, quiet, and even peaceful without Juni, I even started to get used to it, started to enjoy it even. After centuries, hundreds of thousands of years of non-stop work, I was finally free. He raised me, he taught me everything. I owed him the world, but I burnt down the world for him. I owe him nothing. Ezen taught me my best skills, no she did not teach me to fight, kill, use my powers. But. Ezen taught me how to be mortal, she taught me emotion, happiness, joy, Juni only taught me pain and suffering. I am thankful for Juni. Though our time together was not for nothing, he gave me relief. Looking back now I can see that he did not force me to kill, he never forced me to do anything, I enjoyed it, my service. I am a shadow, it is in my nature. I know that now, thanks to Raven and Juniper.

Aleahx returned to Quearose territory. Ezen finally convinced Zenifere to let him back, using some questionable techniques, but it's Ezen, she's crazy.

After a successful meeting with the Gödes, Ezen returned with information about the Jargon. The Jargon is a four legged species that used to be a species, like the mortals, until they were hunted to extinction, the only Jargon that exists now is The Altréz of The Gonichooia. The Jargon is a feline type. They have three colours, black, gray and white. Ezen's Jargon is either white or black, depending on her eyes. However if there are scars on the mortal body, they show on the jargon in another colour for example; a white jargon with a deep scar would have a black marking where the scar would lay and a white jargon with a less deep or fading scar would appear more gray on that scar. It's the same with a black or gray jargon but inverted colours. Ezen's jargon was as white as snow. The body was colourful in different variations of gray and black. Across her face there was a huge black marking over her left eyebrow and eye down to her collarbone. It just makes her Jargon look more threatening to be honest. The Jargon I see before me isn't Ezen-John Teremíx, though, it's Ezenqui, Demi-Göde of War and Peace. Power abuser, tyrant, murderer. Ezen is gone, murdered by the very thing that created her. Perhaps that was my fault really.

The Jargon in mortal form has feathered wings, when folded, or 'tucked' the wings are invisible to the mortal eye. Ezen's wings are white with small gray feathers dotted around at this point in time. After her wings were clipped they were black at the bottom.  I don't think she deserved that, that's how I know Ezen who isn't Ezen, Ezen would never send anyone there, not even Préazé.

I have feather wings. They are golden brown. Were. I lost them in the Bixeánvi castle fire. I loved my wings. It's my fault I lost them, it's my fault.

Ezen started developing wings for Gowelleah, Zenifer and Junifere, so they could all fly with her. They weren't that hard. Junifere's wings had to be adapted so it wouldn't damage his already crippled body, he pretends like his physical disabilities don't affect him, but i can see the limp he has, and the fact that he struggles to even lift his blades out of their holder, and the point that he can't really get out of bed some mornings, that's another reason he goes to bed in the morning. Junifere doesn't deserve that, he deserves the world. For Junifere, I will burn down the world twice over to protect him. Shaddo couldn't protect him in the end. The best thing they could do was turn his eyes against them and make sure Juni got Zenifere and Junifere to safety. In the end, they put Juni and Junifere in front of them so they could be free, and Shaddo will be away from them, they would be safe.

Ezen left at dawn. She wanted to be away from the stress of Quirl, so she left for the abandoned villages. She told no one. She just left. Typical Ezen. Ezen spent many years away. She didn't particularly love where she was at the abandoned villages but she was with her cousin Samíeléh. I stayed distant until Junifere found us. He told Ezen that she should return to meet Zenithe, Zenifere's son, the heir.