Epilogue - Part 3

"Would you stop that already!" Volo whispers aggressively at me as I continue to scratch all over. The rash and discoloration of my pale blue skin has now spread to more than half of my body.

"I can't help it!" I snare back. I pull away all four of my hands and duck back behind some bushes of honeyleaves. The grandiose dark green leaves with flowers of cream absorb the ambient energy around making them glow a gentle yellow. I have seen these bushes all over the city. Volo tells me they are preferred by highbloods for pure aesthetics, disregarding completely the toxicity of their flowers. I reach for one of the flowers and scrape the polen into a small piece of paper and tuck it in one of my under pockets of my robe. I look at the night, lit by a blanket of stars, I imagine that Mira is looking at the same sky as I am, it gives me a sense of comfort. Wait for me, my love. The three Great Mothers have taken their throne on the night sky, in a beautiful display of colors, Red, Green, and Blue. Watching over me, I pray to them as well as the Great Father to give me strength and forgiveness in the unheard of blasphemy Volo and I are about to commit.

"Get ready, brother." Volo says and grabs my lower arm in comfort. He sees how anxious I am and I can tell he feels the same. While we were discussing and preparing our strike at his home, we each had our doubts and qualms, but our rage burned like fiery inferno. The higbloods have broken our trust, and went against the tradition and words of the Great Father. They had sent an envoy too soon. The Great Father had spared Mira for a reason, and yet, they did not listen. It is time I tell myself. It is time they pay for their sins and I take back my wife. I steady my nerves and put on a strong face, even though on the inside I am terrified.

"They don't have many guards, Volo. This doesn't look good." I whisper.

"Of course not. When have you heard of a lowblood going against highbloods, brother?" Volo asks.

"Nev -" I don't even have a chance to finish my thought and Volo interrupts me.

"Never. No envoy has chosen out of date. Everything has been just as the Great Father ordered for entire milenia, countless cycles. If this was a normal envoy, I would have rejoiced for Mira, just I was with our own choosing. The words of the Great Father keep everything in check, a balance, cherished by both high and lowbloods. The rumors about Isay'ah must be true. He's has lost his sanity for breaching the sacred trust. This can't be forgiven."

"Then why have guards at all?" I ask confused. I look at the man dressed in beautifully decorated armor, flowers and details inlaid carefully in the metal.

"Are you this blind, brother?" Volo scoffs then shakes his head. "I apologize, you have not seen the true nature of the highbloods, you have not lived in one of their cities before. You just got your letter of recognition. For merchants like me, we get to witness the atrocities that highbloods commit on the daily. Listen carefully, we don't have much time. Champions are those that hold great power among the low bloods to rival their own, they send you to fight among yourselves, to prove your loyalty, to weed out the powerful, while the victors, they are given what they think is the opportunity of their lifetime. Sure, there's better food, but what they don't tell you, brother, is that they castrate the Champions and give them measly jobs like guards to wither away into docile creatures, just like they do with those disgusting evil creatures the unforgiven, given to the Humh'ine as slaves, to rot away to atone for their sins. We are nothing, to them, just like the unforgiven to the Humh'ine. And then the Merchants are those pale skinned that are not powerful enough to become a threat and not beautiful enough to become Yeva'Ah."

"No, it can't be, Volo. This was our chance, for Mira and I to live a better life." I shake my head and look at the man in armor before me. I wonder if he too was castrated, if his power wilted away in this masquerade of a duty.

"Stay focused. We're here to save Mira, in and out. No casualties, no fights, Great Father will never forgive us if we bring harm to His chosen. Look." He ponts. "They're about to change shifts. I know that guard that's next. His name is Boli'k, he helped me a few times with some... deals." We wait for his friend to take his place and for the other guard to go well out of sight. "Stay here." He tells me .

Volo carefully stays with the shadows as he approaches the man. He signals with a low whistle and the man turns surprised. He smiles at Volo and embraces him for more than I think necessary. They whisper something amongst each other, I can't hear anything but the man's face darkens the moment I see Volo's lips shape with my beloved's name, Mira.

Boli'k nods and gives another long embrace to Volo which then turns to me and ushers me to follow.

We walk beyond the first set of walls, there are no other guards on the site, only greenery until we reach a pyramidal door on the left side of the central building of Mah'ator where the greatest families of the highbloods reside, along with the Great Commander.

"That was easy." I say. Both Volo and Boli'k shake their heads. The guard places a hand on the door and I sense the static of energy surrounding me. It dissolves into a liquid and retreats to the sides revealing the corridors, covered in metal. The atmosphere inside was completely unlike that outside. It felt crips, clean, at a temperature that was so pleasant I couldn't feel the air brushing against my skin. It had a slight perfume and taste, and immediately I felt lightheaded. I look at the two that took lead, they weren't phased by the change and so I say nothing.

"Everyone is in their chambers for the night." Boli'l finally says, his voice has a pleasant ring to it. I pay it no mind but notice the closeness of their bodies, the lower hands stealing a few touches thinking I wasn't aware. I look at Volo quizzically, and a smile stretches on my face. I start to believe that those 'deals' that Volo mentioned were more than the exchange of produse.

"The problem begins after the main chamber. There is another guard placed between the main chamber and those of the Great Commander. Mira, will most likely be in there, but I don't know which chamber. Once inside the Great Commander's chambers, leave the talking to me and stay out of sight."

Volo and I both nod and follow the empty corridors. Boli'k began to explain that this corridor is only guards, the people that live here don't want to lay their hands on any filthy lowbloods in their own homes. We have been walking for some time, taking a few turns before he stops us at another triangular door. E turns to his left and with a wave an opening melts away revealing a few changes of armor.

"Here, put this on quickly. We always have a few spares, these higbloods are obsessed with making sure we look presentable to others." He hands us the armor and turns to the door. "This leads right next to the main chamber, where the other guard waits. We need to deal with him instantly. If he even sees a mark of our passage he will ring the alarms."

"Leave him to me." Volo says. "I know the perfect thing he says as he puts his helmet on." He crouches down next to the door and puts his hand flat on the metal.

"Remember, they can feel you use your blessing, Vol." Boli'k's brow furrow.

"I know." Volo says and closes his eyes leaving his third eye open, looking around as if he sees through the door. I feel his energy pouring slowly into the air on the other side as I fold my robes neatly on the floor. A few minutes passes and Volo raises up and nods to us. "He's out, we have no more than an hour." He says.

"What did you do?" Boli'k asked concerned.

"Nothing bad," Volo reaches a hand to cup tha man's face. He quickly catches himself and clears his throat looking at me trying to pretend nothing happened. "I slightly changed the composition of the air around the guard to something special. Discovered this one night while I was testing methods of preserving my goods for longer." Boli'k smiled and shook his head. He went over to open the door but Volo stopped him. "Wait," he says. "We need to clear the air first."

"No need, the air is cycled and refined by a system in the walls." He touches the metal and sends fine energy that triggers a chain reaction." There, your...thing should've already dissipated by now."

I look at Volo and shrug. My gut churns as Boli'k opens the door and we go through for another ten minutes until we find the man sprawled on the floor. For good measure I look for signs of life, I am certain that Volo would not murder, but I had to check for my own piece of mind. The pure young man I once knew was now longer.

We move past the guard, deeper into the building. All I saw was a crowded tunel of metal until Boli'k stopped us again.

"I need you to keep quiet, don't even breathe." He says. I try to do as he says, I remain as still as I could as he touches the metal panel to his right. A hole in the metal panel melts into the sides and light spills out along with a soft melody that plays in the background.

"Master Hara'be'l, please forgive my intrusion at such an hour."

"What is it... filth?" A disgusted voice boomed from within. It seemed very far away. "More nuts, more nuts." The man said to someone else. I hear him smack his lips.

"The filtration system has a minor defection, I am seeking approval, Master, to get the engineers in and solve it." Boli'k says with his gaze glued to the floor. Not once has the man looked up to the one he was talking to.

"I see... so that was... that surge of...energy I felt... just now." The man continues to eat and scarf down as fast as he could. He began to breath heavily. He stops for a second then sniffs the air. "And the... smell... is that ...because of the... defection?" He asked.

"Yes, Master Hara'be'l. Very astute observation." Beli'k replied.

"Filth!... fix it already....before Great... Commander...notices." The man shouted and the metal panel melts over the hole.

The man motiones me and Volo to follow.

"Who was that?" I ask, disgusted about what I had just witnessed.

"That's how all of them are. They will now expect multiple people in the tunnels, we don't need to hide."

"Smart." Volo smirked. "Now let's go save my sister."

I begin to get anxious at the thought of seeing Mira again, ready to put all of this behind me. We have been walking for a while and everyone fell in silence, tension growing between the three of us as we grew closer towards the Great Commander's chambers. The closeness between the two became more apparent as they became more comfortable with me. I look at them and feel how much they care for one another. I am glad that Volo had found someone with whom he can spend his life. Someone loyal. I say in my mind.

Boli'k begins opening chambers, and I freeze in panic. He glances over and says. "Relax, these are the chambers for the Great Commander's servants. They might be highbloods but they're not as high standing as Hara'be'l or Great Commander. They don't care that much." He says as he opens another chamber.

"Yes?" A man's voice booms from within.

"Master Tor'k, we have a defection with the filtration system, the engineers assure me that it's in the Yeva'Ah chambers. We need to fix it immediately before the Great Commander notices." Boli'k said on a more relaxed tone.

"Let me guess, you can't find it?" The man says bored, I could feel him roll all three of his eyes. "Useless b wings like you need us, highbloods to guide you after all. That's just the nature of the world."

"Yes, Master Tor'k. You are indeed very wise." Boli'k replied.

"Yeva'Ahs are the very last chamber the my right. Now," The chamber closed instantly.

Boli'k smirks over his shoulder before starting to walk towards our target. I arrive at the chamber in no time. I felt like I flew here. I ready myself to see my beloved Mira, but as way into the chamber melts away, I see no trace of her. My heart begins to beat incredibly fast as I step in.

"Wait!" Boli'k tries to stop me, grabbing my lower arms but I pull them away with great force. I reach the center of the room, that was extremely wide and golden. It sparkled with riches and finery. Fluffy pillows littered the room, and every now and again there were comfortable looking bets and tables filled with food. I turn around slowly taking everything in and stop a woman in plain clothes cowering in the corner of the room.

"You!" I point one of my arms at the woman, making her jump in fear. Volo and Boli'k were too slow to stop me. I reach to the woman and hold her by all four of her arms. She looks away from me, scared senseless. I feel her tremble. "Where is Mira?" I spray the woman as my rage begins to boil over. I could no longer hold my rage.

"Calm down, Scry!" Volo urges me and pulls me away from the woman. "You idiot!"

"They certainly felt that, Volo." Boli'k said, his nervousness began to show.

"Scry, we don't have time!" Volo tries to tug at my hand but I don't move.

"Mira... Scry?" The woman says, she had fallen on the floor in the commotion.

"You know my wife!?" I look down at her, my face must've been horrifying to her. The rash had reached my neck and a part of my face.

"Y-yes." she says trembling. "M-Mira was here. She got t-t-taken with the rest. T-t-they left m-m-m-meee. Said I was too ugly for Him!" her eyes begin to swell and a river of tears flow on her cheeks. I look carefully at the woman, she was conventionally attractive, but as I look closely I see a chip on her horns, that curled up inside atop of her head.

"I see... where did they go?" I ask her and she pointend with two right slender hands outside the giant door on the other side of the room. I thank her and turn to Volo and Boli'k. "You two go, you don't have to risk your lives for ours. I can't contain my rage anymore, Volo. The in and out operation is no longer possible. They probably already sent someone after my and sensing me all this time. I can't come with you, now GO!" I shout then turn around and run for the door leaving them behind. They shout at me to come back but I ignore them.

The moment I cross the threshold I am met by two men that shout something at me that I don't understand as my rage flows over. Nothing can stop me from getting to my beautiful Mira. I reach with one of my lower hands towards them and cumple the space within their hearts. The fell like lifeless at my feet.

The years I've spent murdering my kind for their pleasure has heardent my own heart and I feel nothing as I pass their bodies.

Many more fall at my hands as they are taken by surprise. Volo is completely right. Someone fighting back against the highbloods was so unthinkable they couldn't even comprehend what had just happened as their souls left their bodies in incredible displays of light.

I have murder forty highblood bbu'll'gah, as I barge through the lavish chambers. No sign of Mira, but I can't leave without her. The highbloods must now be fully aware of the situation, as the I encounter more and more people, but only the last couple were prepared for a fight.

I now understand why they seek to wilt champions, my power was far greater than their own.

My rage dwindles as I make my way through their ranks, I grow tired of killing and decide that it would be best to look for the Great Commander himself.

I wait for my next pray to arrive but instead of killing all three, I spare one. I easily broke through their flimsy barriers and deflected their attacks that were so basic, even a child could do better. He scoffed at them seeing he was so much more powerful and seasoned in battle than they were. I hold the one I spared by his upright horns and beat his head into the shiny floor.

"Where's the Great Commander?" I ask him. He remains silent. "If you speak, I will spare you." I tell him and he whimpers and mumbles something inaudibly. I give him a moment to compose himself and he tried to hear the wound on his mouth before he says anything else.

"Please! Please don't kill me!" He begs.

"The Commander!" I demand.

"He's hiding with the rest in the heliport!" He finally says.

"Heli... where is it?"

"There's lift just ahead in the second room to the left. The last floor. Last floor."

I look at the man below and although my heart twinged with slight pity and my rage had dissipated, I still couldn't hold it back. I crack the base of his neck with a powerful implosion. He slumped to the floor immediately.

I quickly run to the lift the man pointed me to and I see a platform surrounded by a crystalline railing that glows a pale violet.

I sense the power flowing around the machine. The crystalline railing absorbed energy while below the platform I felt an opalescent crystal. I sent energy into the railing and the platform began to levitate upwards.

I had lost count of how many floors I have ascended, I began to question if I would ever reach the top, but then the beautiful colors of the night sky loomed over my head.

I felt my intestines move and shift and my rash burn as my head pops out of a hole in the ground. The floor moving past my waist then fully stopping as it connected seamlessly with the platform.

I breathe in the night aire that was so much better than the sweet atmosphere from inside.

"You!" I hear from behind and as I turn around I see Isah'ya marching towards me surrounded by two dozen men and women.

Seething rage bubbles inside me as I see that maggot's face. The one who went against Great Father's words and stole my wife away from me.

"Kill him, now." Isah'ya commands but they were already too late. I already dropped five from their ranks.

"Where is Mira!?" I yell, as powerful attacks strike my barrier. These were different. They were prepared for battle. Sparkles of light, the size of a grain of light, roar through the air and explode when they hit my barrier. I must concentrate on defending. If even one of their strikes hit me, It would mean my defeat.

"Oh, you've come to what? Get your precious little wife back?" Isah'ya mocked Scry. "Don't get too cocky, filth! Who do you think you are barging into MY city like this."

"You took my wife. It wasn't time! Give her back or so the Great Father helps me!" I scream over the powerful explosions.

"You have no say in anything. You are dirt under our feet! Do you not understand the situation you are in?" The man begins to laugh as all four of his arms open to the sky. I struggle with my barrier as I try to push back. The coordinated attacks are making it very difficult to do anything.

"Give her back!" I scream and send energy throughout the ground and cave in the floor where they were standing. It fell in, but only took a handful of men. The rest were prepared and levitated themselves away. It's not much, it lessens the stress on my barrier.

"You cretin! You see that small light in the sky amongst the stars that's moving away?" Isah'ya pointed towards something I could not see from the constant barrage of sparkles that hit my barrier with great force. "That's her right now, fool. Off on her merry way to serve our Great Rule. Who knows if she lasts more than an hour with him before he bores and guts her on the stop. I heard he likes to fuck the corpse while bathing in Yeva'Ah entrails." He begins to laugh.

I direct all my energy towards my barrier as I watch the light in the sky move away. It was already more than a day's way away from me at my full speed, without any rest. I feel lost and desperate. I stop registering the attacks on my barrier as my vision begins to blur.

Tears. Tears fill all three of my eyes and I cannot see, but that doesn't matter.

With a deep breath I begin to fold the space all around myself. It's a titanic attempt, my energy begins to dry at increasing rates as I the strikes begin to go straight through my barrier.

"You don't have enough energy left. Hit him with all you go-" He stops abruptly and backs away. He is right. I don't have enough energy to teleport this whole space, but that didn't stop me. I extended my senses and consciousness in all directions and attempted something in desperation, something that my kind only reads in stories meant to scare children. I have taken within myself ambient energy around me. While awakened ones are born through this process and are granted strength, no Abu'll'gah or Humh'ine has ever successfully awakened. The power we have within, clashes and repels the ambient energy. It rejects each other from their bodies in a dance of mutual annihilation.

"Run! Run! He's going to kill himself and take us with him!" Isah'ya screams and tries to flee.

The moment I feel my own last drop of energy leaves my body and manifests as my will orders, I fight to keep my consciousness, then with a breath I take in the ambient energy within my body. I continue fueling the teleportation with the strange energy within me. It's hurting the very fiber of my soul as I hold onto it and shape it. The pain I feel would have killed any ordinary Abu'll'gah, but the thought of Mira being taken to the Great Rule fule me.

I push for even more ambient energy and the moment I crease the final fold, the men and women had long forgoed their attack and now screamed and ran for their lives

My vision turns to white in an instant as I hear the painful screams of dying men and women. I will find you, Mira. I say to myself as i lose consciousness.

FIN

Thank you all for your support! I hope you have enjoyed my book!

B.