The Soul Keeper

"How do I look?" The blonde man asked, wearing a set of clothes quite similar to mine. 

I chuckled. "Ready for battle." I smiled. It had been quite a while since I had been able to chat with him like this. I had missed his companionship, and the sound advice he usually gave. Though his smug grin, not as much.

"Except for having nothing to show for in terms of combat ability, sure. I'm totally battle ready." His shoulders dropped. "Fuck… How do you still have your power?" He asked, collapsing on my bed.

I sighed. "I…" I glanced towards the sea through the window. "Once the Divine Pillar was completed and Aelith came out of the pillar of light, I felt like a dam opened. I think it's because by arriving here, she brought magic into our world. And I picked up on that sensation, probably." I attempted to explain in vain.

"I wish I had felt the same thing." Asher mumbled. He fiddled with the cloth of his clothes. "I'm absolutely useless now – with no magic, I can't do anything to help with the war." 

I forced a smile, despite knowing how much this hurt him. "There might be something Vixia can do to help you with that. So, don't lose hope." I lightly squeezed his shoulder, in an attempt to be supportive. The older man laughed. "Ah, I sure hope so." He furrowed his brows. "So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

I took a deep breath and used my magic to create a barrier of sound around us. "It's about my family – and the woman who brought here. I need you to listen and be patient. Let me finish telling it all first."

Asher's expression darkened. "Alright. I'm listening."

I turned my back on him and gathered my courage. It was a lot to tell, and I wasn't quite ready. 

"The crimson haired woman who brought you here is my mother." I spoke. He didn't draw a sharp breath, nor did he make a sound. I continued, I told him about Mother, about Fetheion… About what kind of a weird, awkward, and disturbing position I was in.

With each new revelation, his expression changed. I was worried, of course, that he would no longer trust me as much. That he would call me a liar and a traitor. 

"So… We're fairly sure your Mother is an Ereth. A Divine, in fact." He stated. "So, how did you come to be?" He leaned forward and inspected me, from head to toe. "You don't look like an Ereth – you're more reminiscent of a demon again."

I chuckled. "Do we really need to think about those details?" 

"Well, yeah. Are you a half blood, or a pure Ereth? Why do you look so human?" He leaned back and scratched his chin. "I wonder – is that why you became the Soul Keeper?" He mumbled.

"I don't think so." I said with a shrug. "And it doesn't really matter. Fetheion lied to us for a long time, and Mother did so to me and Aoife as well. I don't know why she decided to bring you here, but I'm kind of glad she did." I smiled. "It's been a while since we talked."

Asher nodded. "It has. But Kai, how will we fight back against Aelith? If the Keeper won't join the battle, how will we beat Aelith? Even last time, it took everything we had just to destroy the Pillar."

His worries weren't unfounded. Most of us had nearly died. Some of us had, in fact, died. I sighed and lowered myself onto the only chair in the room.

"We'll handle it somehow. The Ereth aren't as well defended here as they were in Baile Chailce. They haven't constructed any of the outer Pillars, and they don't have such enormous armies just yet." I took a deep breath. "Besides, we will have the Demon Lord's aid as well. He will join the battle." I raised my eyes. "Personally."

Asher's eyes widened. "Then, Aelith will meet her match!" He shouted. His voice rose with excitement as he continued. "The other Divines – if there are any left – can't really stand their grounds against all of the Demon forces and even you can-"

I suddenly stopped him as I leapt up on my feet. "Shush!" I hissed as an unfamiliar type of magic fluctuated in the area. "Something just happened!" I whispered as I rushed at the door. 

As we ran down the stairs, a scream sounded. It was a woman's voice. As I rushed downstairs, Aoife rushed out of her room as well. "What's going on?" She asked as I brushed past her on the staircase. "I don't know!" I replied on my way down.

The high-pitched voice sounded once more. "Where am I? Who are you?" 

When I reached the ground floor, I was met with a bunch of confused demons. I brushed past them and dashed after the voice. Where was it coming from?

"Stay away from me!" She shouted once more with a fear filled voice. "Who are you?" 

The training hall! As soon as I figured that out, I ran towards the closed wooden doors at the end of the hallway. I pushed them open and stepped inside, only to be met with a confusing scene.

"I said, who the hell are you?" A woman about the same age as I shouted, pointing a gun at Inspector John, who was sitting on the ground. "I won't ask again!" She warned him, then, as soon as she noticed me, pointed her gun at me. "Stay there!" She shouted.

I froze in my tracks. I knew that voice, didn't I? It was really hard to tell, but I was sure I knew her from somewhere. I hadn't met her face to face though, I wouldn't have forgotten a face like that.

"Now answer me! Where am I, who are you and how did you bring me here?" Her bright green eyes glared daggers at us.