Julius Rictor - Chapter 50 - Beasts & Blood

The military presence in Castle Grey was the tightest I’d ever seen it. Obviously it would be. We were in the middle of a war, as short as it was likely to be. 

“Yeah, I’m not gonna be able to hide any of this,” I said, gesturing at my tail, ears, hair, and eyes. 

The seven of us were on a side street along the main road leading to the bridge into Castle Grey. Several guards stood out front and across the bridge. On top of that, the front gates and the gates near the castle were closed. There was no way to get across without alerting someone.

“We could go by boat,” Gai suggested.

“The shores will be covered, and the boats that could get us over were probably sunk,” Remi said. “Besides, we’d need a large one capable of holding around ten people. We’ll get spotted.”

I walked out from the alley with my head held high. “Might as well just try the front entrance then!” I twirled and looked at them. “Might as well see how the world reacts to me, right?!”

“That’s probably not a good idea!” Remi called after me.

Too late. I was already walking down the street. I heard their feet shuffle after me.

Nervousness is the enemy of progress. Gotta press on!

I neared the gate, close enough to be in view of the soldiers. They spotted me immediately.

“Halt! Who… goes there?” His question lost its vigor as he peered at me.

“Greetings! I am—whoa!”

I stepped aside as a loose arrow missed my head and nicked my cheek, drawing blood. I didn’t even flinch or blink.

“Careful there! That would have hit me!” I complained without vigor. “I would like entrance into the castle, please. Now I know, I know: who am I? What’s with the ears and the tail? She looks scary. We’re at war. We should probably shoot her again.” I rolled my finger in a circle over and over as I spoke. “I get that! But never fear! It is me, Scarlet Embers!” I paused for dramatic effect. “And I am now the Voiced, Eden!”

Absolute utter silence.

I’m embarrassed. Help. Say something. Don’t do this to me. I’m trying my best.

My tail drooped, and I felt my ears flatten atop my head.

“What she says is true!” Remi finally pulled up behind me. She was a familiar face dressed in ranger clothes. Her black hair fluttered around her with authority. “Open the gates.”

There was hesitation.

Then, they lifted. 

“My hero!” I called after her as she walked back to her parents.

“Keep an eye on her,” Remi told Gai as he walked toward me.

“Clearly someone needs to.” He grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me gently past the gates onto the bridge. “Don’t wander off.”

“Aw, you’re being nice to me again. That makes me happy.”

Gai said nothing.

Remi and her family staggered behind as we passed the bridge. 

I felt the gazes of the guards from the first gate. When we passed the second and entered the courtyard, it was completely obvious I’d consumed the attention of everyone in the area. 

Makes sense.

I stood tall, defiant, and unblinking as the knights and guards surrounding the area stared at me. 

“What is that?” one of them whispered. 

“It has a tail and giant ears. Is it a monster?”

“Wait, look at her eyes. They’re gold!”

Eventually, the entire courtyard was focused on my eyes. They had a slight glow to them, so they stood out even when I was just passing people.

I suddenly stopped. My followers stopped around me. 

“I am Eden, the Voiced of Zalevet!” I called loudly to everyone. “A pleasure to meet you all!”

Gai frantically grabbed my hand and dragged me into the castle. I let him while waving at the stunned crowd of warriors around me. 

When we pushed inside, Rangers immediately greeted us.

Remi passed in front of us. “Purpose has been dealt with. This girl is Scarlet. She became a Voiced in that battle,” she said, gesturing at me. “My family needs a place to stay. I need to debrief with Scarlet. Relay this to the baroness. We’ll convene in front of her. I’ll explain more then.”

Given that Remi was one of the ones in line to replace Talbert, they took her word immediately. There were apprehensions and glances at me, but they still nodded.

“Also, Gregory Talbert is deceased. I’ll maintain a temporary chain of command.”

They all tensed but said nothing.

The Rangers took off, but two lingered behind.

“Take my mother and sisters to a secure room. Have Clyde look at my mother’s ear as soon as possible,” Remi ordered.

The Ranger nodded.

Remi then turned and knelt to her sisters. “We’re safe now. Go with these two. They’ll get you something to eat and drink, okay? I’ll be with you in a second.”

All three girls reached for Remi.

“No!”

“Don’t go!”

“Stay with us!”

“Girls.” Their mother called to them. “We’re safe. Remi has responsibilities. We need to let her do them.”

Remi’s face softened as she looked at her mother. “Thank you.” She peered at her sisters. “I will be back to you as soon as I can. Okay?”

They nodded collectively.

Remi turned to me. Her expression was cold. “Follow me.”

Oh. Scary.

“Be good!” I waved to Remi’s family as I walked away. 

Lara was the only one to wave back. Her eyes were on my ears and tail the whole time. Clearly enthralled. 

When we were out of view, Remi immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me through the hallways. Gai followed quickly behind. We quickly darted past guards and maids until Remi found an empty room she was familiar with. It was a small parlor on the first floor that my family used to meet important guests. 

Remi ushered me toward one of the two couches in there, nearly pushing me down, while Gai locked the door behind us. He stood while Remi took a seat in front of me.

“Regardless of your answers, you will become the Voiced of Zalevet,” Remi began without me being able to get in a word first. “We have no choice but to support you. Our country needs a Voiced.” She closed her eyes for a moment, sat silently, then opened them. “But Gai and I personally need you to explain what happened to you. In detail. Please.”

My eyes drifted in thought before they landed on Gai. “I apologize in advance.”

And thus, I began my revelation.

“My name is Eden. I am a reincarnation of Scarlet Embers. In the general sense, I’m the same person, but there are slight differences from the process,” I began. “But a few things first.”

I mentioned Proxy, the endless sky, and all the weirdness surrounding that. I described Proxy, comparing her to a goddess. There really was no better comparison. 

“I existed before I had any memories, but I had an ego formed from this life and my past life. It’s almost like… my past lives were my parents, so to speak,” I said, thinking through what I went through as I explained it. Honestly, it was a little confusing for me, too. “Oh, wow. That basically is it, isn’t it?”

“What does that even mean?” Gai barked. He was getting angry.

I nodded. “Hey, I’m still sorting out all the memories. You try having two lifetimes poured into your head after dying and see how you deal with it.” I huffed. “Back to the story, Proxy removed the essences of my past lives from my soul and presented them to me before releasing them.” I puffed out my cheeks and relaxed on the couch. My ears flattened. “Which is where I need to quickly elaborate: I reincarnated from another world.”

Gai wasn’t the least bit surprised, but Remi flinched.

“What does that mean?” Remi asked immediately.

“The version of me before this world lived in New York City. He was a lawyer named Felix Cortez. Horrible job. Horrible life. I can get into the details later, but Gai knows the cliff notes.” I sighed dreamily. “My old world was not a fantastic place by any means, but I do miss it sometimes. Especially the food.”

“Why did you say it like that?” Gai asked.

“Hmm?” I looked at him. 

“Felix.” He looked slightly pale, and his jaw was clenched. “I thought it was Miya.”

“Yes. I lived two lives prior to this one. I was Felix Cortez before I was Scarlet Ember. Felix was a thirty-four-year-old man from New York City. Lawyer. Everything else I told you about my life before then was true. Well, what Scarlet told you. I told you? Scarlet told you.” I scratched my head. Memories still swarmed in my head, struggling to find places to settle. “It’s all kind of confusing, if I’m being honest.”

Gai was pale and speechless, while Remi’s expression further hardened.

Well, I can’t say this isn’t what Scarlet expected. I expected? Scarlet? Hmmm… this is weird. Am I supposed to be her? Or is it Felix? I’m something else. I think I’m something else. But am I them? Yes? No. No, I’m not. Am I?

“Can you blame Scarlet for keeping that from you two?” I suddenly asked them, noticing their gazes and forcing myself out of my own head. “She was a man who killed herself, then appeared as a baby girl in this world. What possible benefit would she have for revealing that information to anyone?”

“You talk as if you aren’t her,” Remi said. “But you said you were.”

“I existed before the two of them, so technically I’m neither. But I inherited Felix and Scarlet’s memories.” I started scratching my head again. The power in my soul was fluctuating. “I remember everything they remember, feel everything they feel. Their shared desire is mine. But I’m distinctly different. It’s like reading a story and suddenly reincarnating into it as the lead character after finishing the ending.” I closed my eyes briefly then opened them with a smile. “It’s on me to continue the story after the ending!”

Remi’s expression ran cold. “In essence, our friend is dead, and she was replaced by a stranger masquerading in her corpse.”

I blinked. “I don’t like how that’s phrased.”

Gai suddenly picked up a table and threw it across the room. It shattered on impact, hitting a vase, which only added to the destruction.

“Whoa.” I recoiled. “Do you—”

“Stop talking to me.” Gai leaned against the nearest wall and slid down. “Just stop.”

My eyes drooped, and I looked away.

“If it helps, I love you, so it means she loved you in the end,” I said.

“Does that matter?!” Gai spat. “She lied to me. I didn’t even know who she was. Now, all those memories are marred by that lie.” He looked disgusted. “Felix Cortez… what the fuck?”

“Hey, bastard, shut the fuck up,” I barked, shocking him and Remi. “People don’t choose how they reincarnate. You were probably a fucking ant before you became a human, and I don’t judge you.” I winced, trying to think. “I didn’t do anything to become Scarlet when I died! I was forced into this place! I killed myself, and whatever God is out there made me into a goddamn woman! Fuck you!”

“Scarlet…” Remu murmured.

I sweated and gripped the sides of my head. I felt flustered. My mind was spinning. The two lives clashed as I tried to hold onto my sense of self.

Felix, Scarlet, Felix, Scarlet…

No, no, no, no, not them. Not them.

They won’t trust me.

Not them. 

I’m me.

Never forget. 

Me.

I accepted those memories. They weren’t mine. I accepted them.

Me, me, me.

Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

I am Eden!

Yes. 

Yes, that’s it. That’s all there is.

Context. Those memories are context. I accepted them because they made me. They serve as my foundation. But they are not my certainty. My destiny. They are a warning and a promise. They made me. They were the desires that manifested in my existence.

They made Eden.

They are me.

But I am me.

I am Eden.

I stood up suddenly, the pain subsiding as I abandoned the past. “None of that matters.” I placed a hand on my chest. “I am Eden.” My eyes darted between their faces. “I remember and love you both dearly. I will not say I haven’t changed. I have. I’ve kept stuff from you. I did. My current answers may not satisfy you, but I’ll live with that.” I let out a low breath, then my face became serious. “Death is permanent. I’ll never be who I once was before, in either life. A soul is etched with the scars of every life lived, but it doesn’t remain the same. It is the essence of who I am, yet it always seeks to change and grow.” I placed my hand on my chest. “I am your Voiced. I am your friend. I will do everything in my power to protect those I care about and make this world a better place. No matter the price.”

The energy inside me swelled. My skin started to glow, and that golden color from my time with Proxy suddenly covered my entire flesh. 

“Oh?” I looked over my arms and hands. “What’s happening?”

Remi and Gai were across the room, confused and defensive.

Suddenly, the golden energy condensed and swelled until the power was split evenly between my left and right palms. 

I held them both out like I was waiting for someone to place something in my hands. 

Golden energy burst out of my palms like shimmering clouds of starlight.

In their places, two miniature, doll-like figures stood.

In my left hand, a man with long, black hair and a beard gazed up at me. He wore a classic suit, like a business professional might wear, but it was altered. It looked tactical. He wore pads, body armor, and professional boots and gloves like a special forces operative. Right across his chest in an odd holster, in a position it normally would not be, was a gun. Everything looked form-fitting and sturdy, like it could block the strongest blade while seeming entirely casual.

In my right hand was a girl with long red hair wearing light robes. She held an umbrella open between two hands. The robe looked expensive and comfortable. It had an almost hypnotic allure to it. It made the woman’s breasts, legs, face, and eyes all stand out so much.

Both wore black and gold, exclusively. They matched nicely, even though their styles and looks were complete opposites.

“Greetings, master.” They bowed to me after speaking in unison.

I stared at them, deadpan. “What?”

•••

Alexander

“Gaaaaah!” A rebel charged toward me.

I sidestepped and cleaved him in half. The force of my swing was so strong that, when it split him, the pieces went flying as if shot from a catapult.

“What a mess,” I whispered.

The last of the rebels were being easily destroyed. Their earlier coordination at the castle was exceptional in their brutality and suddenness. In the field, they were nothing more than fodder. Purpose wasn’t controlling them well.

Nonetheless, they were an outlet I desperately needed to vent my anger.

Another rebel ran at me.

I knocked his weapon aside with my blade and grabbed his head with my hand, lifting him effortlessly. I squeezed until his skull broke and his eyes popped. I released him just as easily as I caught him, letting his useless corpse simmer in the dirt.

No point hiding that I’m different. They already see me as a liar and are leery. They wouldn’t have made me come into the field and leave Scarlet if they thought otherwise.

“Surrender!” Baron Embers, his body wrapped in flames, cleaved through three rebels in quick succession. “This battle is lost for you all! Give up your weapons, and you may live another day!”

Foolishness. I sidestepped another rebel and kicked him in the knee, shattering it. He fell to the ground in pain. Killing them all sends the loudest message.

Suddenly, I felt a massive hammer hit my chest. It sent me flying, much to my surprise, enough to make me crash through the wall of the nearest building.

It didn’t hurt by any means. I wasn’t injured. The front of my breastplate was slightly torn. 

A tall man with a two-handed war hammer stepped through the hole he created. “I’m gonna take one of you with me,” he growled.

“You must be a Traiter. Strength enhancement?” I guessed.

He closed the gap and swung his hammer.

I dropped my sword, closed the distance, and grabbed his wrist. Simply closing my hand crushed it. Before he could scream, I had my other hand on his mouth.

“You did me a favor. I needed a break from all this shit. My emotions are running amok. Not very like me.” Holding him up like a rag doll, still very much alive, I guided him from the hole in the house out of sight. 

He shivered like a leaf. He knew he was outmatched and that I held his little life in my hand.

“What are you?” he suddenly asked. His gaze fell on my eyes.

“How red were they?” I asked, grinning. “Are you scared?”

The man trembled.

“Oh, you should be.”

My teeth elongated to the size of daggers, and my jaw unhinged. In one motion, I had my teeth around the front of his neck.

Precious blood drained into my mouth, sedating me and comforting me far more than any woman, food, fight, or gift. No drug could compare. Nothing could compete.

It took me a second to drain him. My teeth were like straws, pulling the life force from him faster than cutting all his major arteries at once.

When I was done, I smashed his head against the nearest piece of furniture to hide the evidence. His head and throat blew apart like a dropped pumpkin.

“Better.” I looked at my clothes. “A lot of blood on me, but we’ll chalk that up to war. Hmmm. Let’s exaggerate it a little.”

I brought my finger up to my forehead. The nail on my pointer finger elongated at my will. I drew it across my forehead. A line of blood descended from the newly opened wound on my head.

“Alexander!” Captain Van Gallan called. He was running in my direction.

Without another word, I grabbed my sword off the floor, took a breath, then forced myself to stumble out of the hole and fall to the ground.

Captain Van Gallan was on me in a second. “Are you alright, lad?!”

“I’m fine.” I waved him off and stood up. “Bastard had some sort of strength amplification trait. I think I’m already healing. How do I look?”

He gave me a once-over. “Bloody.”

“I feel fine.” I feigned looking myself over. “Do you really have time to be watching over me?”

“War’s over, son.”

I looked around. Sure enough, the final rebels were being put down. None of them surrendered. It was like they were all compelled by something to fight until they were dead.

A high possibility that was just the case.

“I still feel empty,” I admitted. The words carried a weight far beyond the death of my closest friend right before my eyes.

It’s something I should be used to by now…

Captain Van Gallan placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. When I looked into his eyes, I saw warmth I didn’t deserve. I’d lied to him. I was still lying to him. He trained me and helped give me a sense of purpose when all was lost. And yet I would keep lying to him. To everyone.

A liar banished to forever live in sin.

Baron Embers ordered his nearby soldiers to gather bodies. A quarter of them did that. Another quarter tended to the wounded. The rest were sent throughout the city to survey the final extent of the damage.

“I’m sorry,” I suddenly said to Captain Van Gallan.

He patted my shoulder. “We’ll talk about this later, son.”

I nodded.

Troops from the direction of Castle Grey came storming into view. At first, I thought they were reinforcements. The panic on their faces, though, betrayed something else.

No, not just panic. Excitement’s mixed in there. They’re just as afraid as they are elated. What could cause an expression like that?

Baron Embers saw them. He beckoned them over, which they did without much more prompting.

“My Lord, w-we bring news!” He was a young soldier. A cadet I’d trained a few times. He was on the verge of getting a gift. If he was sent out, it meant the news came directly from the castle.

“Of what?” said the Baron slowly. His tone was soothing, which was amazing given the circumstances. It reflected his experience with such violence.

“Lady Scarlet! She’s—”

Baron Embers’s expression cracked immediately. Fear laced his eyes. He grabbed the boy’s shoulders. “What is it?! Speak!”

“S-She’s a Voiced!”

My mouth dropped.

Baron Embers stared at the cadet in disbelief.

The entire courtyard froze.

“Do not jest,” the baron said softly.

“I would never, my lord!” The cadet doubled down. “She’s returned to Castle Grey! She has hair as white as snow! Golden eyes!” He hesitated. “Beastly formations. She came back with Lord Regal and Miss Remi! They vouched for her and everything! It’s her! You’re needed back at the castle.”

It was quite possibly the only thing that could have pulled that man from the battlefield.

Baron Embers looked to Captain Van Gallan.

“Go,” the captain said before the orders were given. “I will handle things here.”

The Baron nodded. He turned to the cadets. “Make haste back to the castle.” 

He left with them and a small detachment of troops.

I stared after them.

This is what I was waiting for.

I was almost salivating at my good luck.