The Goddess's Hero

Living Again

Skye's POV--

Three months. It felt like forever.  The attacks on Comwen had gotten larger. As I feared, hordes of demons were vanishing into the thick of the night and wrecking Comwen's continents. Demon Keepers were dying by the tens from the power their subjects were taking. Underwater volcanoes were suddenly emerging and erupting in mermaid and siren cities. Forests had been burning for days. Elves were losing their last city even as I watched silently. Nymphs and Khaets were trying to put out the fires but many Nymphs were losing their lives. Humans were losing  their farms to tornadic events. Mountain homes crumbled around the Dwarves and many were lost in their glorious tunnels. The humans had only one stronghold left: Celeste's City. 

When I awoke from my soul shattering induced coma, Jasper asked me to report on my findings among the Fountain souls. I told him what I knew: dead people can't use mana. Not even if they tried. He seemed content with my answer and I also told him how the demons weren't being created by the evil. They were being taken from the Land of Demons and used against their will just like the souls of the dead were. He seemed surprised at the news and Bal reported the same. 

"So, it seems that this evil doesn't have the same powers I have." Jasper stared at the flames he created within his palm. A smug smirk latched onto his face. 

"It seems whoever or whatever it is, they can only manipulate your powers. They can't create or destroy the same way you can." I offered my two cents. 

"Hmm." Jasper's smile unnerved me. "This is good news!" He leaped into the air and I sat on the ragged bed, annoyed. Breathing deeply, I stood. My legs didn't have any strength and I fell onto the floor. "You know, you should rest up a bit more." Jasper's cheery tone made me grind my teeth. They think I'm useless? I'll show them useless! I grasped the bedpost nearest to me and pulled myself up. Jasper didn't offer any help. Perhaps he could sense that I needed to do this for myself. I stood on shaky legs and willed myself to stand up straight. 

Once I stabilized, I looked at the deity before me. He wasn't smiling any more and his energy had dulled. 

"What's wrong with you?" I asked. I was actually curious. He stared into my eyes with an incredibly creepy look of longing. I shook my head. It's just my imagination! Suddenly, he slapped my back like an old buddy and his smile returned. 

"Say, Skye, why'd you come to the Land of Demons?" 

"Only the living can handle magic. Demons are the only living beings in the Underworld." 

"Besides Jacqui." The way Jasper tensed when saying her name caught me off guard. 

"No, Jacqui isn't a part of this." I don't know what compelled me to defend her. I didn't know if she was innocent or guilty, but she tried to heal me the best she could. According to Bree anyway. 

"How do we know?" Jasper's melancholy doubt surprised me. 

"Aren't you the one who said she wasn't a part of this when we first met?"

"That was before."

"Before what? What have you learned?" 

Jasper shook his head and grabbed my arm. "Lets just go."

"wait, where?" I barely got the words out before Jasper materialized us to where my body lay at Old Post. Josephine's sword had disappeared but my body was on the altar surrounded by a peach colored mist and white flames. I could see myself clearly through the mist and the flames were merely the height of the altar. 

My scarred body was shirtless and pale. My lips were blue. My dark hair had grown long and my beard reached my shoulders. My eyes were closed. My hands were at my sides. The wound Josephine had inflicted on me had stopped bleeding and was merely a gash in my chest. The mortal me had died. I was dead.