《Shards of Eternity》


 The realm of souls(prologue)

    A strange blue mist pervades the ghostly shapes of the world around me. I walk past transparent outlines of buildings, cars, even people. I watch as a boxy vehicle pulls up in front of my destination. Several glowing forms rush forward towards the vehicle. Inside are several more forms, each with a different coloured glow¡­ except one. Inside the center of the one laying on the bed lays a darkness I haven¡¯t seen in this realm for a very long time. I watch as the glowing people rush the woman with darkness inside her into the building, a hospital. I frown as I feel a familiar present behind me.


    ¡°What brings you here Phoenix?¡± I voice, the sounds disturbing the mist that pervades everything.


    ¡°Same reason as you, Spectre,¡± a entity drastically different to everything around us answers. Her flames causing even the mist to quiver away from her. The flames of eternity that all phoenix¡¯s carry exuding from her avian-like humanoid form.


    ¡°Not often is one with a shard of the void born,¡± I comment as we step across the threshold of the building. Following the one who should not exist.


    ¡°And yet, here they are.¡±


    As the form of the mother travels through the transparent building, a streak of fading darkness is left behind. I make an effort to avoid my sisters destruction. It won¡¯t kill me, but I don¡¯t exactly enjoy its feeling.


    Looking around, there are many other glowing forms to be found in this building. Most with fragments of death cleaning to their forms, or souls. Even as I pass through the building, I can feel death¡¯s present as one of the souls finally succumbs. Their form going dark and dimming, but not completely fading. Nothing ever fades fully in this realm, not as long as it exists in the other realms.


    ¡°As one who knows the fates,¡± I address the burning avian next to me. ¡°What awaits her fate in this world of no magic?¡±


    ¡°Suicide by the age of 16,¡± Phoenix replies instantly.


    I sigh, looking at the mother who has scars that are only visible in this realm. A father who cares not for either of them. And a child standing outside the room, destined to hate them.


    ¡°Of course you would pick her,¡± I mutter angrily. ¡°A realm where none can stop your influence of destruction. A realm shunned by all others. A realm ruled by a mad god claiming to be all powerful. Of course your next target is her.¡±


    ¡°There is a way you could prevent it,¡± Phoenix says next to me. ¡°It is a dangerous option that is liable to fail, but you could do it.¡±


    Cautious, yet curious, I look at her. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Place your shard in her body before it is born. It will cancel out Void¡¯s influence and will allow the child to at least have a chance.¡±


    ¡°And sacrifice myself, leaving this realm unguarded for who knows how long?¡± I retort back angrily. The air chilling enough that the forms in the other realm start shivering.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.Phoenix just stands there silently. Her eyes on the oddity before her.


    ¡°You are not the only one who has noticed Void¡¯s work,¡± Phoenix finally answers. ¡°The mark of Anarchy has been placed on them already. Not to mention, the shifters plan to use her as an entry point into the sealed realm. Should you stay here, this realm and many others will fall. Especially since the great guardian Viseper has fallen.¡±


    I can only stare at her. Anarchy, the mother of all vampires has marked her. The shifters wish to use her, and the guardian is dead.


    ¡°So why are you here?¡± I ask Phoenix. ¡°Why are you messing with fate?¡±


    Phoenix¡¯s beat bends ever so slightly at the edges as she looks at me.


    ¡°The last time this many eternals have taken an interest in a mortal on this realm was the arrival of Christ. The mere fact we can influence events warrants influencing. The mad god¡¯s grip is weakening and this void marked is the key we¡¯ve all been looking for. Now, we just have to ensure Void fails. Your sister has already claimed too many worlds.¡±


    I look back at the mother and notice that it is almost time. Anarchy, the shifters, Void, and now the Phoenixes are all trying to control someone who hasn¡¯t even been born yet. I won¡¯t allow it, even if it means erasing myself. Phoenix may think she has cornered me, but I get to choose my fate.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll giver her my shard, but I will make sure none can influence her until we are of age.¡±


    Phoenix nods and in a flash so hot it sears the very mist, disappears.


    I turn towards the souls and walk. I pass by the doctors rushing around the room. The nurses exclaiming obscenities that never disturb the mist. I pass it all. I stand over the mother, a mother whose soul is laced with drugs. A soul that wishes for it all to end. I step forward and place my hand on her soul, letting a current of purity wash away the despair and pain and replacing it with love¡­ it won¡¯t last. It never does, but hopefully I can make the next few moments moments of happiness.


    I shift my attention to the darkness in her womb. I have done this spell many times, normally only when this form is about to pass. This time though, not all of me is going. I can¡¯t if I want to keep the others away. I must erase everything that is me or else the protection will fail.


    I place my hand on the void shard and reach inside me, grabbing my own shard. The source of my soul. I feel as my essence is erased by the void. As it tries to consume me. I feel my body grow weak as my soul is consumed, my shard of creation not replacing it. I chant words that should not exist and drive my soul into the womb. Briefly I see it and the void shard entwine, not quite consuming each other, but becoming something more. Yet, even as they fight, I feel myself grow faint and dizzy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you planned for this Phoenix,¡± I mutter as darkness takes me. My form dissolving into the mist.

 Birthday ritual

    The light of the half moon fills our backyard with shadows and light. It¡¯s rays offering just enough details to see what I am doing, but not much else. Casting the one tree and shed in our yard into shadows, merely identifiable by their dark ominous present in an otherwise open area. No clouds hide the many stars still visible above our small town, especially with the power being out right now. A car can be heard driving on the road in front of the house, but no light gets past the wooden fence so I¡¯m still concealed in shadows. A few generators also disturb the air, but most have been shut off for the night to save power.


    I look at our back porch and notice how eerie it is without any lights inside. My parents have long since gone to bed and my brother only ever stays up this late to play games so I¡¯m in the clear.


    I unlock the shed with the keys I snatched from the key hook earlier. Normally I leave the stealing to my brother, but I need something from the shed. Something important. Something my parents would go ballistic about if they found me with it. Once open, I slowly ease the door open and slip inside the shed. Admittedly, it is more of a garage then shed, but seeing as how my father only keeps his broken drag car in it along with all of his tools. We call it the shed. Risking a little light, I light a small tea candle and set it somewhere were it won¡¯t show in the window. As quickly as I can without making any sounds, I move over to his toolbox and open the top drawer. Inside is the pair of shears and the small trowel I need. I grab them along with some oil kept in a different drawer.


    I blow out the candle and slip back outside, locking the shed behind me. I quickly walk over to the base of the tree and start digging with the trowel. After a minute, I find my box of trinkets and working tools. They¡¯re not as fancy as others, but they are mine. I open it and remove the shard of quartz I found behind the school, an iron chain I swiped from a ditch, a rod of elm I polished myself, and my most prized possession. A small dagger with my preferred name etched in it. I close the box and place it back in the hole, covering it up just in-case.


    I check the time on my phone and notice I only got a few more minutes until my birthday. Which coincidentally, is at exactly midnight. I toss everything in the center of our backyard and grab the oil. I slowly drip it out in as perfect of a circle that I can get. Once done, I quickly grab the quartz and place it gently on one side of the circle, with the shears opposite it. I place one of the tea candles I got on another side and a small bowl of water on the other. One item in each cardinal direction. Finally I step into the center and take my dagger in my left hand and the chain in my right.


    I look up at the sky and sigh softly as I wait for the right moment. A slight breeze ruffles the air and I get the strangest sense that I am being watched, not from our house, but from the shed. I turn my attention over to there yet nothing has changed. I shake my head and hear a slight buzzing sound indicating that my alarm has gone off.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.I take a deep breath and start chanting. The words are gibberish, but that is not what matters. What matters is the intention. The spell, according to google, is meant to bring one luck and happiness, and the universe knows I need both. As the chanting continues, I wrap the chain around the dagger three times before slashing it across my palm. I let my blood well up before holding my hand over each of the objects on the ground. Invoking the names of the elements as I do so. Once done, I take my rod of elm out of my pocket and slash it across the air. It apparently symbolizes severing the ties of negativity surrounding me.


    As I finish the ritual, that same feeling of being watched returns. This time, much stronger. I whip around to spot whatever is watching me, yet nothing is there. I try to dismiss the feeling as I wrap my hand and gather up my materials. The ring of oil is easy to dispose of, just burn it before quickly stamping it out. A quick few scoops of dirt hides it effortlessly in this dead grass. I dig up my box and hide my tools back in it. Taking care with my dagger to wipe the blade clean first.


    Once hidden again, I turn towards the shed only to see something that should not be there¡­ or well. Someones. Three people cloaked in shadows stand between me and the shed. At first I think they¡¯re my family, but their heights and outlines don¡¯t match. Then I realize that they¡¯re probably robbers of some kind. And I just buried my only weapon.


    ¡°Bloody hell,¡± I mutter to myself as I grab the only thing still left to me. The shears.


    I¡¯m not a fighter so I try to find a way away to escape, yet even as I try to move. I find myself paralyzed. Not even my eyes will move away from those three, and now. They¡¯ve started towards me.


    I try to speak, yet no sounds come out. I try to breathe, yet even my lungs seem frozen. I try to focus, to analyze. To do the one thing I am good at, problem solving. I got maybe ten seconds before they¡¯re in arms reach. Ten very short seconds to counteract some sort of fear based paralysis. The best thing to do is to close my eyes and breathe, but I can¡¯t. So instead I need another option. Eight seconds. I recall one time reading an article on focusing on a single thing as a good way to calm the nerves so that is exactly what I do. I focus on the pain from the dagger. Five seconds. I focus every fiber of my being on that pain and how much I want to put pressure on it. Three seconds, I can almost make out their faces, yet I ignore them. I feel my fingers twitch right as a fist connects with my jaw.