We rushed through the dark caves; I was barely able to keep up to Donovan who ran with the speed of a man possessed. Several times I thought I had lost him, his torch swallowed up by the liquid dark, but he returned to me each time. 'Hurry,' he said, without explaination.
I could feel his absolute terror, the agitation of his mind and, below that, a dark pain and anger that came from an unknown source. It strengthened as we moved deeper into the cave, becoming an overwhelming agony. I knew we were approaching something dark, something wounded, something furious and something very much attached to Donovan.
When I felt at the brink of sanity and exhaustion we turned the final turn and stood face to face with the source.
'Sebektu.' I whispered, terror spiked through me as I realized how right I was. Not only Sebektu but Mari-Sebektu, a lord, a ruler of demons.
He lay, barely breathing, in a pool of his own black blood. I could see from the marks on the walls and floor that he had crawled here to this final resting place, a dark sanctum to die in. In his side gaped a wound the size of two fists, it seeped blood, a slow drip. He was beautiful in the tragic, knife blade way of the higher Sebektu, his skin wan and pale, close cropped hair a pure, metallic red, features even, fine and now completely vulnerable. The whole grotto stank the sharp, dirty iron stink of blood, the sour smell of vomit and the fetid, sweet smell of infection.
'My Lord!' Donovan whispered, running to his side.
I stood in shock, staring at the Draconii in disbelief. 'My Lord?' I hissed, confused and disgusted.
Unaware of my horror, Donovan knelt by the Sebektu's side and cradled his head in his arms.
Against every twitching fiber of my being, I moved closer.
The Sebektu spoke, his lips barely moving. 'Donovan.' He choaked, his eyes opening to slits. 'You shouldn't have come.' The pain and longing in his voice deepened my confusion.
'How could I not come, my Lord?' Donovan stroked the Sebektu's copper hair, his hand small against the demon's cheek.
'You must leave, the others are hunting me down. They will find you here and kill you.' He reached his hand slowly up, touching the Draconii's face, then hiding his own eyes. 'The torchlight stings.'
'I'm sorry, Mari-Seth. I have a Orini companion, she can't see in the dark.' Donovan explained, shielding the Sebektu's eyes with his chest.
'An Orini. So unusual. But what else could I expect from my Emi-Donov. Is there any reason why she needs to see? My eyes are dim and I pose no threat in this condition.' The Sebektu chuckled softly, then gasped in pain.
'She needs to see all that happens.' Donovan looked at me, his blue eyes drilling into mine with an intensity born of suffering.
'Why burden her unnessisarily, Donov? She is Orini, why show her all that this world is?'
'Because, with her choice, she can let you live. She is a Soul-Gifter, Mari-Seth.' Donovan's gaze remained locked with mine, unwavering. 'It's your choice, Abys.'
'Donovan...' my voice was hushed, confusion, revulsion, terror all running circles in my head. 'Donovan, he is Sebektu.' A demon, evil incarnate. Even now I could feel the sheer dark of his aura penetrate me, surround me with a dying electric power. How could I save a creature that had nearly killed my entire race? The scars on my back twitched painfully, reminding me of other agonies the Sebektu had dealt me.
'You see, Donovan? Why would an Orini save a Sebektu? You should leave this death trap ...' Seth convulsed suddenly, and then went still, too weak to speak further.
'Come here, Abysthe.'
'I can't.' I edged around the Sebektu, keeping outside of his arm's reach. I couldn't force my quivering muscles to bring me any closer. What if he was bluffing? What if Donovan was completely possessed by his evil? Fear overwhelmed reason. But still, there was a voice inside of me, urging me on.
'Abysthe, please. I need you to hear my words. You seek answers, and I can give some to you now.' Donovan pleaded with me, his eyes brimming with tears. I could still see his heart, strong, noble and untainted. But how? With a demon as his Lord?
I shook my head violently, terrified and confused. 'Donovan I can't... I'm scared!'
'He can't touch you now, Abys. He's unconscious and he will never wake up again.' The tears were spilling now. And I could feel my own echoing his. 'Please, let your love guide you.' He went silent, his eyes only for his dying lord.
To set aside all hatred, all anger and all fear. To set them aside and walk within arm's reach of a Sebektu. It was incomprehensible to me, impossible.
As impossible as leaving the safty of home with a strange, suspicious Draconii? Suddenly all fear vanished and I moved without hesitation to Donovan's side. So be it, if I die, at least I die for love.
'I won't make the choice for you, Abys. But listen to me carefully as I say what I have never said to a single soul since the day it happened.' He was hushed, his words clipped. 'I am of the Firii Draconis clan. We saved Tisdale many Orini generations ago from the Sebektu. But it is far more complicated then that because it wasn't just the Sebektu that wanted all Orini dead, it was also Draconii.'
I gasped, 'No, that's impossible!'
'Yes it is. The Sebektu and the Draconii are afraid of Orini power. You are capable of choosing beyond evil and good, thus can tap energies greater then both our races. You will one day be as beyond us as we are beyond you now.
'Three Draconii clans allied with the Sebektu cause of Orini genocide. There were only two clans who were opposed, the Firii and the Spirii. We stopped it. But the Spirii clan was completely destroyed, as were the Watii and Arii clans. All that was left were the Eurii and Firii. In the final moments of battle the Eurii sought to destroy all trace of the Firii, and they attacked the hatcheries. I was a dracon pup at the time and I watched as they destroyed all of my litter mates. I hid to save my own life, but they found me. They found me and...' he paused, his hands clenched, 'I remember them tearing into me, cutting me to ribbons with their teeth. They left me in agony, left me to die. But Mari-Seth found me. And he saved me by giving me some of his own Self.' Donovan's fingers slipped through the Sebektu's hair. 'I never understood what possessed him to do it. I don't understand what it is in him that allows him to transcend his nature as a Sebektu. But it's there, and I, the last of the Firii, call a Sebektu Lord willingly.'
I looked down at the Mari-Sebektu. His breath was shallow and short; I knew that Donovan was feeding him his very life essence to keep him alive. 'What am I to do?' I asked, my world shattered and my purpose broken.
'I can feel the others draw close. You should leave.' Donovan's voice was clear, calm.
'And what will you do?' My breath caught.
'My life belongs with him.'
Time froze in that instant. I looked towards the door, feeling the presence of great evil nearing. The desire to flee coiled within me, I took a step towards the door. Then I looked back, saw Donovan's terrible pain, and it was my undoing.
'Dammit! I don't even know how I'm going to do this!' I ran back to Donovan's side, kneeling beside the huge form of the Sebektu lord. 'You realize that he will be a part of my soul until I finally snuff it? I'm going to have a Sebektu heart beating right here,' I hit my chest, 'right next to mine!'
The Draconii looked at me, hope shining in his eyes. 'I'm sorry-'
'No time for that! I hope you're right about this guy... I'm trusting you.' Please, if you Gods even listen to us Orini anymore... let Donovan be right.
I spread my hands over the Sebektu's chest and began whispering the chant I had heard only once before. In me I felt an agonizing tearing as the spell caught and bound essence, soul and strength in a tight knot. I never knew such pain as I sweat and sobbed over the life of a Dark Lord. When enough was gathered to hold back the tide of his death the spell tore it from me and thrust it, a thick, pulsing mass into the heart of the Sebektu.
Cool hands lay against my forehead, I heard the soft ripple of a nearby stream and the gentle chatter of leaves in the wind. I started awake, suddenly terrified, pained and horrified all at once. I felt empty. I scrabbled in the grass, looking for the thing I lost until my eyes fell upon the still form of a sleeping Sebektu and the strong surge of comfort I felt quelled my loss.
'Oh God.' I whimpered. 'I didn't think it would be like this!'
'What do you mean?' Donovan asked from behind me.
I didn't answer, instead rose unsteadily to my feet and limped over to the Mari-Sebektu. My heart lurched in response to his sleeping face, I longed to touch him. 'Ergh.' I broke my eyes away from him and turned back to Donovan. 'I feel like scrubbing with bleach.'
I started to walk away from Seth, but could only get a few feet before my quaking muscles forced me to sit. 'Where are we?'
'A safe place, for now. I had to carry both of you away... you both were unconscious. And bloody heavy!' Donovan moved towards me, his eyes liquid in the honeyed light of morning. 'I will never be able to thank you enough, Abys.'
'Yeah, yeah... well... I dunno. I did what I could.' I shrugged.
'He will survive because of your sacrifice.'
'I just hope you're right about him. After all he is a Sebektu Lord.' I sat, and pulled my knees up to my chest.
'I know I am. And, it's worse then that Abys. I know now that Mari-Seth is the only Sebektu Lord left who opposes the annihilation of the Orini. That means they and the Eurii are planning the death of your race as we speak.'
I held my head in my hands. 'Just keeps getting better and better.'
'Good morning,' someone purred behind me. My stomach leapt sickeningly at the sound and I couldn't help but whirl around.
Ooooh, pretty, the love-sick puppy part of me thought at the sight of Mari-Seth's jet-black eyes. I squelched the thought and scowled at him.
'I'm glad you're finally awake, Mari-Seth.' Donovan said, his voice carefully reserved.
'So am I. Although this Orini heart will be hard to get used to.' The Sebektu Lord pulled himself up and looked at me with an odd mix of confusion, anger and gratitude. Snapping out of it quickly he continued, 'So mercurial. You surprise me Orini.' He moved to my side, touching my shoulder. An impossible heat seared my chest, tugging at my very essence, urging me to touch him back and... It took all my will to stop the desire from overwhelming me. As I regained myself I noticed with satisfaction that the Dark Lord's composure had been shaken as well. 'It's magnetic.' He whispered, to me, or himself as he took his hand away and looked at his fingers.
I looked quickly over at Donovan, worried that he might be upset. He just smiled at me, shaking his head.
'I seem to be smaller.' Seth said with a laugh, standing. He arched an eyebrow wryly as we both joined him. He was smaller, by a foot. Still huge by Orini standards; a head, shoulders and half chest taller then me and a head taller then Donovan. 'My, you're a tiny little Orini.' He teased me, smirking but careful not to touch.
'I'm not that small!' I retorted, looking up at Donovan for defense. Instead he seemed wane, his eyes fixed on Mari-Seth. 'What's wrong?' I asked, pulling on his arm.
'Did all of you shrink, my Lord?'
