A Loyal Companion

I woke up to the sound of chirping birds, the sun blinded my eyes for a second. I raised my palm against my temple as I felt a massive headache as I got up.

I didn’t know there’s sun in Absolon.

“That’s because you are not there... not technically anyway”

I startled as I heard someone answered to my thoughts. I turned and found the golden man. I gave him a questioning look, and jerked back as he approached me.

He only smiled at me, his right hand was holding a glass of water which he handed to me.

“I’m not him and no I cannot read your thoughts. I don’t have to, your expression says it all”

It was only then I realized that I was lying on a big white bed covered by satin sheet. I drank the water in one gulp, trying to wash down all these illusion, or so I thought. I didn’t know how I got here, where the hell I was and why I was completely naked under the satin sheet.

“Where am I?”

“Somewhere safe" he paused, then added "For the moment anyway”

“Who are you? And how did I get here?” I blurted before I could even stop my tongue.

He grabbed the empty glass from my hand and settled it on the table. I eyed his perfect figure, wearing nothing but a pair of white linen pants he looked like an angel.

“Well, short version is, he hypnotized you and dragged you to Absolon, then I kidnapped you and brought you here” he crossed his hands and smiled again.

“And you are?”

He kept quiet, his eyes searched mine, quietly telling me that I already knew the answer. I actually did, but I wasn’t sure whether he was who I think he was.

“Aranthias?”

A smile escaped that beautiful face. He strode closer and touched my ear intimately. I felt the sudden urge of wrapping my arms around him and claimed a kiss from those beautiful lips. My fear went away as he was only inches closer to me. I tried to keep my shield up but it was useless, I met him already in my dreams, and my subconscious mind longed to see him again. He bent down and lightly kissed the scarlet mark on my chest which I almost forgotten it was there. The sensation vibrated through my skin, it was no longer beating, and I watched it slowly disappeared into my skin.

“Why am I here?”

He ignored my question and his gentle lips touched mine and a taste of sweetness filled my tongue. In that instant, I felt a surge of knowledge passed on to me. I knew why he had called for me, and I knew why I was there with him. The kiss had invoked memories I never knew I had. He was my purpose. Images were overloading my brain, I accepted those memories which seemed to be his and mine combined. The pleasure of those knowledge becoming mine was as good as foreplay, I shuddered, wanting more from that fountain of knowledge, because I knew he hadn’t given all of it.

His hand bared me from the satin sheet, leaving me with nothing to cover my naked body. I shivered as the cool air and warmth of the sun touched my bare skin. His hand moved to caress my leg, to the inner thigh, while his tongue danced with mine. His fine hair brushed my hardened nipples and sent joy through my veins. I gave out a light moan as he tasted me.

I saw a bulge under his white pants waiting to be released. My fingers went to the edge of his pants, wanting to strip him naked. But his hand pushed mine, and he went down nibbling on my neck, while the other hand went up inside my thigh, teasing me. His tongue ran from my neck to my collar bone, nibbling the skin below the bone. My body screamed in pleasure as his fingers expertly making circles and plunging deep in me, taking with them the moisture and my scent. I moaned as he shifted onto the bed, pressing his angelic body against mine, rubbing his stiffness between my legs. His mouth took my breast with a gentle suction, caressing it with his tongue. I craved more from him, I felt like I had met a long lost love, my heart and body ached for his touch. It was only when he kissed away the tears from my cheeks that I knew I was crying. He gave me a gentle smile and kissed me lightly on my lips before he nibbled his way down to what lies between my legs.

I gasped as he parted my legs, sending warm breath just above it, inhaling the musky scent before finally kissing the outer lips, stroking the tender flesh with his tongue. I looked down to him, and he gave a look that took my breath away before he plunge his tongue deep within me, rocking me with strokes of pleasure, sending me to my first orgasm. He didn’t stop, his rhythm became faster and harsher and my body rocked with it. I arched my back as he reached deep inside. It was not until I came twice more that he stood at the edge of the bed, he had disrobed himself and stood completely naked before me.

In one sure movement he gracefully drove his rigid shaft in me and pulled me down the bed to him, until my legs were dangling at the edge of the bed. I felt full the second he reached the point deep within me. His hands were on my hips, driving me with the rhythm he was moving at. I raised my hips and anchored my feet at the edge of the bed, my body moved with his and earned a satisfied growl from his throat. His right hand reached for mine, guiding to my source of pleasure, silently telling me to touch myself. I obeyed him, stroking and touching myself as he thrust in me. My fingers occasionally brushed the skin of his shaft going in, and the texture sliding on my skin was the most erotic experience imaginable. He growled as I started touching him at the same time and had returned the favor by thrusting himself deeper, faster. A wave of energy flowed out from his skin and embraced me. He grabbed the sides of me and drove himself deep sending me to my climax. Two powerful thrusts later, he came and joined me. The vibration electrified my brain with pure joy and pleasure.

With him still inside me, I relaxed my shaking legs and wrapped them around his waist. He replied with a smile and bent down to kiss me. He kept himself inside me as we cuddled, burying his face on the curve of my neck. I circled my fingers with his soft golden hair, inhaling the sweet scent of it. Slowly my thoughts became clear. I saw some of his memories imprinted in my brain. I couldn’t understand some of it, I saw his twin in that montage of images, but I didn’t know where he came from.

“Who is he?” I whispered in his ear, still toying with his hair.

He moved his head slightly and kissed my shoulder tenderly as he brought his hand to mine, playing with my fingers, our fingers entwined in unity.

“Seek inside your mind, you know what I know now”

I leaned one side of my cheek to his head and closed my eyes, searching for that part of memory. Then I found him, lying in the dark, tortured, his body was full of wounds and bathed in blood. His eyes lost the golden shine and were as dark as the night, fighting the evil that was accumulated within the time he was there in Absolon. I couldn’t see past it, but I knew what happened as somehow the memory fed mine. He had survived from the hope Zae had given him, but thousands of years in dark world of Absolon, tortured and could not die, the body separated itself, forming Aranthias who is now in my arms, the pure Aranthias, and another who was full of hate and anger.

“His name is Antheon" there was sadness in his voice as he mentioned the dark one's name, and added "He is what was left out of my pure form”

“Why now?”

“Your friend was right. Everything in Absolon is suppressed, including time. I didn’t reach my powers until fifty years ago and it was only recently that Antheon and I separated, even until now I haven’t reached my full powers yet. It’s still growing”

He shifted and half sitting on the bed, I laid my head on his stomach, my finger tracing the ripples of his muscles.

“Your sorcerer friend" he started, fingers playing with a lock of my hair, "He came in contact with me when he touched the mark I gave you”

I nodded, I understood then why Tristan didn’t say a word to me, he knew Aranthias would find me.

“I gave up searching for my purpose a long time ago” I whispered at last.

He ran his fingers in my hair, combing it with his delicate fingers.

“I know… but I reached for you once I was able” he paused for a moment, doubting what he was about to say next.

“Antheon would look for you for the same reason”

I twitched and turned to face him.

“Why?”

“You and him share the same bond as you and I. He is me, in a different form. I hate to admit it, but you would feel for him, what you feel for me. There will be time when you would have to choose who would be by your side”

“I know I belong to you, along with Crimson Tears" I assured him.

“If there is only one of me, you would be by my side”

I kept quiet, remembering the touch Antheon gave me, it felt the same as Aranthias’ touch. I shuddered to the thought of sharing the same feeling for Antheon. I wanted to protest that I wouldn’t have the passion I had for Antheon as I had for him, but I couldn’t, I feared too much that I would be denying myself.

“He opened the portal to seek you”

“I thought no one could open the portal” I replied a little bit too quickly.

“Zae had embedded her purity in my skin, my body, my heart. Although I have parted from Antheon, he is bearing traces of the same man in him, therefore he also has my power. When I parted from him, he fled to the dark, seeking Anglo’s grave, to summon the power to open the portal. I failed to stop him. I couldn’t kill Antheon, we could fight for all eternity and have no winner. The only weapon that could take him down is Crimson Tears, which is why he seeks for you. Crimson Tears can end my life as easy as it could end his, but only if he or I have you on the side as companion, the sword was not just another Ancient weapon. It was born with you and it will die with you”

He sighed, guilt stained those beautiful features of his. It broke my heart seeing the sorrow in his face. I knew what kind of hell he’d been through and could not ask to keep it in him after more than two thousand years carrying the burden. How I wished I could take my words back.

“As I reached my powers, I started to find your presence. It took me a long time before I could reach your dreams, Absolon dimensional restrictions had made it difficult. It started as a vivid imagery, but it became clearer and clearer and finally I could touch you in your dream. I didn’t even know why I contacted you until I naturally found out that you are too, my purpose as I am yours. Absolon had patiently tortured me, tried to kill me many times over but I cannot die, not even when ancient weapons pierced my heart” I held on to his hand tight as his words trailed off. I felt pain that he felt in the past. I felt his fear, his anxiety and his sorrow.

“… one night I woke up and found him before me. He was as dark as the night, as powerful as a god. I learned what he was in an instant I came in contact with him. The anger and hate that stained my heart had been lifted off and formed Antheon instead. Absolon had failed to corrupt me to become another dark prince, and I have Zae to thank for that, I just didn’t expect to create Antheon”

A bird flew in and landed on the table near the bed. It chirped happily, acknowledging my presence. I suddenly remembered about the battle, about Chloe, about Aidan, about the chaos I left behind, and here I was making love to my other half while the others were fighting. A sudden rush of anger sneaked in, but immediately washed away as Aranthias stroke his soothing touch against my back.

“They are safe, Ondine, for now. Antheon had ordered the dark army to retreat as soon as I got hold of you”

“I have to go back… I cannot leave them to fight this while I hide here”

“And you will. But you have to wait until the sun is up”

I gave him a questioning look, “But the sun is up”.

He shook his head, “Here, it is, but not in your world, we need to make sure the sun is up when we cross dimensions, otherwise the dark army would chase again”

“Where are we again?”

“This is my sanctuary. After Antheon was separated from me, I slowly discovered the ability to cross between dimensions, but couldn’t reach outside of Absolon as there was no portal and it was forbidden to gods or humans. This place however, had been created by the soul of Grenwynn, when he sacrificed his life to kill the dark prince I heard his prayer, I gave him hope, and his soul was saved by it, forming into something that didn’t quite disappear. I found that essence a few years back, and made this place from it, I made this my fort. To go back to the safe house, we would have to cross into the outer layer of Absolon… there may be ghouls guarding it, but they cannot chase us when the sun is up”

I closed my eyes again, feeling the vibration ran through the surface of the skin as he talked. I had never seen such perfection, the man’s skin glimmered under the sun, his strong body cradled me and I never felt like home anymore than this. I began to wonder whether the twin could invoke such feelings within me. I remembered the brief encounter with him, how I was magically attracted to him, but it didn’t matter to me at that very moment, for the first time in centuries, I was finally home.

“Why didn’t you flee when the portal was first opened?” I asked without lifting my cheeks off his stomach.

“I would if I could. Time moves differently in Absolon. Your dimension probably had found the portal opened for a few days, but here, it was barely a day since the portal was opened. By the time I found the portal’s location, it was already a battle ground outside”

“How long was I out for?”

“In here, three days, but with the portal opened for this long already, I’m almost certain that the time movement in Absolon is almost in sync with your dimension, it could be a day or two off”

My mind came back to a panic state. I prayed that the time hadn’t passed for too long on my dimension since I was dragged in. Uneasy feelings emerged, filling my heart with much doubt and uncertainty. Aranthias ran his fingers in my hair again, assuring me that everything is alright for now, and I trusted him. The calmness didn’t last long as a surge of grief surfaced from deep inside me, something I had tried to forget for a long time, but it was there, embedded deep in me, I had buried it within my heart along with everything else I didn’t want to remember, but once I saw the Absolon creatures at the battle, I couldn’t help but let the grief took over.

“Those creatures… they killed my parents didn’t they?” I heard my voice trembled as the words left my mouth.

Aranthias gave a silent nod, kept his hands on me, trying to sooth me from the pain I felt.

“How? The portal was closed by the time I was born”

“Yes, but not all creatures were killed, some remained on your dimension unable to go back. So they hid themselves thoroughly and lived for quite a long time. They weren’t after your parents, they were after you. You are here because I exist, the human created me with their faith and hope, while the gods created you when they learnt that I had continued on living in Absolon, and that one day I would once again walked the land along with the race that created me. The gods had given you to your mother’s womb, which she saw as a great gift. Some gods are fair, my dear Ondine… others may not seem to be, but they knew that if Absolon is once again unleashed, sooner or later the dark prince would walk in to challenge them and try to claim the throne, they would need me to fight for them. They created you to stand by my side and fight the battle with me, bearing the weapon that is capable of killing a god”

I eyed Crimson Tears, a weapon capable of killing a god? You’ve got to be kidding me! I shook my head, so everything I knew, or speculated, was inaccurate. I thought I was just another being born with a curse of eternal life, but I found out I wasn’t even conceived, I understood then why mother always said I was a gift, a blessing. So much for my mental breakdowns in those days.

“Why would they do such things? A weapon to kill a god is a stupid thing to create, what if I kill them?”

“You’d be dead before you could lay a touch on them. You wouldn’t be able to stand the presence of a god unless they allow you to”

“Can you?”

He nodded “I am a god too, Ondine… in a way... the only difference is when humans lost their faith I refused to give up on them, and as you may have heard from the legends, I was re-born into human form, and because of that I had lose the ability to kill another god, my elders had taken that ability from me, because human heart can be easily corrupted. Even if I am a god in a human form, that little chance of impurity still held much threat to them”

So much knowledge in one day. It was like hearing my history being re-phrased, hearing it as if he was telling stories of an ancient time, like a legend, but the only thing that shook me was that I was living the legend.

“The creature didn’t actually try to kill you, they were trying to capture you and turned you to their side, so when this day come, they would have you on the side of their leader, but they did not expect you to be able to run from them”

At least there was a positive side to it, I was safe for a little while, as I learnt that Antheon wouldn’t kill me… yet.

“He will however, use you to fight against the gods, sacrificing your life for a window of opportunity to strike a killing blow, that is if later he was able to capture you heart and make you come home to him”

A sharp pain pierced my heart as his last words held so much pain. I couldn’t bear it, I was in love with the man even before I met him. I lied silently against his stomach, not wanting to hear any more of that pain through his words.

The muscles under my cheek tensed as he reached for me, and kissed me passionately, giving me the sweet taste of him. He brought his palms to cup my face, licking my lips gently. I answered him with another kiss, I couldn’t get enough of him. I shifted to sit on his perfectly formed abdomen. I felt the heat spread through my whole body, filling the room with electricity. He sucked his breath sharply as I ground my pelvis to his now-hard-groin. He traced his fingers on every curve of my body patiently, savoring the moment. I too, didn’t want to rush it. I took my time enjoying his strokes, enjoying his taste, teasing him until I drove him to the edge of divine madness. I gasped in joy as I saw the hunger in his eyes, burning me with desires. I couldn’t wait any longer, the pleasure was intense, I wanted him right at that moment. I drove him inside me, and we growled in unison. The next few moments were a montage of blurry images. I was overloaded with pure pleasure I never thought I could experience.

We settled beside the bed, somehow during our sexual adventure we ended up on the cold floor. Our breath were slowly returning to normal pace, legs still entwined, my head on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, savoring every moment of it.

The rest of the day was a continuous love making fest, there wasn’t even an inch of the space that we had not touched. By the time the sun was up in my world, I had known and explored every inch of him. He held my hand in his, and gave me another light kiss.

“Whatever happens, do not let go of my hand. I don’t want you to be trapped between dimensions. Believe me, it would be most uncomfortable” and I knew uncomfortable didn’t do it justice.

“And don’t stop running. I will guide you the way, follow me and you will be safe. Absolon is not a friendly place to be, do not believe what you see or feel, it will only stop you and trap you here” he added before going into what looked like a black hole in the middle of nowhere.

I held on tight to him as we walked through a black tunnel. I looked down at my feet, I knew I was walking, but I couldn’t see what I was walking on. When I looked what lies ahead of me I could see no end to the tunnel. I felt a sudden fear emerged as I imagined what it would be like if I were lost in it. I decided to close my eyes and depended on Aranthias’ guide.

It was only when I felt a solid ground and texture on my feet that opened my eyes again. But what I found was no better than the endless tunnel. Darkness swept the surroundings, I saw rocky plane covered the ground but there was no sky, no water, no plants, no living being. There was nothing at all, only death and silence, I felt all hope and happiness slowly fading away as seconds gone pass, within five full seconds I felt depressed and hopeless. I felt Aranthias’ hand clutched tight on mine, reminding me that I had to keep going, run. I ignored the uneasy feelings and ran with him. I saw Gin in the middle of that nothingness, lying wounded and breathless, lying in his arms was Chloe, also dead. I almost cried at the sight of it, but only to find a jerk from Aranthias’ hand.

“Don’t believe what you see!“. I shook my head, I summoned my supernatural vision, but it was harder than I thought, I had never felt such urgency to summon my powers before nor had the trouble summoning it. Once I succeeded I saw what I saw as Gin and Chloe, a pair of ghoul was waiting patiently. I saw a few others nearby, I startled as they started to move fast towards us. Aranthias kept running as fast as he could, and constantly pulling my hands, telling me to keep up with the speed.

Finally I saw the portal, bright with sunlight from the other side, I charged as fast as I could, following Aranthias’ steps. The ghouls were getting closer, my heart pounded, for the first time in thousands of years, I felt fear not for anyone else’s sake. I kept telling myself to run faster. I looked down to my hand and saw it started to change shape to paws.

Oh no… not now! But it was too late. I realized I started to change shape.