Page 27 of A Rising Hope

I couldn’t see the centipede-like creature, but I could hear him. He was like the air itself—everywhere and nowhere.

“You’ve seen her, haven’t you?” His scratchy voice sounded near me, a whisper, and yet it echoed through the fog like summer thunder.

I wasn’t sure how, but I knew exactly who he was talking about.

“Yes, I saw Death,” I replied.

“Oh, her touch is quite enthralling, isn’t it?” he screeched, and I twisted again, trying to see anything past the gray smoke surrounding me.

“Am I dying?” I asked him, feeling completely lost between what was real and what was not.

“Yes,” he retorted. “But we all must die before we ascend.”

I took a step into the silver smoke, chasing his terrible screeching voice.

“But I don’t want to die,” I argued into the nothingness. Feeling the irritation rise in my chest as I wandered aimlessly.

No, I didn’t want to die at all. I wanted to live.

“Then don’t,” the creature replied, and I could swear there was a hint of mockery in his terrible voice.

“Easy for you to say. You are a magical creature, and I am not,” I countered, looking around. His voice was coming closer.

“Ah, so you don’t know yet.” The smoke whirled more violently now, gusts of wind ruffling my unbound hair.

“Know what?” I snapped, anger awakening within me.

“Not of what, but of whom. Of whom you are,” the creature offered another useless answer. His constant ear-splitting screeching made my ears want to bleed. A terrible headache settled in my bones, and I found myself considering which pain would be worse to endure—the headache or the bleeding out.

“You know, Soul Eater, you have put forth quite the effort to possess my dying mind for the exchange of a few lousy words.”

The shattering sound erupted through the silver fog. Violent and harsh. Yet vaguely resembling a laugh.

“You remind me of her,” he said. “I can see why she accepted you.”

“Who?”

“Must you always be so oblivious? Lady Death of course.” Before I could ask him another question, he added. “But you are correct. I have not come here for us to chat. As promised, I have kept your soul from Death, and now I am going to return it back to you.”

“What? Why?” My brows furrowed.

“My end of the bargain to fulfill,” he simply stated.

“What bargain?” I questioned again, opaque smoke now swirled like a large tornado, turning loud and grainy.

“I just hope you remember my kindness when you realize.” His voice drummed through the clinging storm.

“Realize what?” I shouted as the wild winds roared past me.

“That gods aren’t born. They are made,” he whispered into my ear.

The winds swallowed me whole.

The world shaped around me in dull colors, a blurred background with details slowly emerging.

“Welcome back from the dead, Destroyer Empresses,” a dark-haired male begrudgingly mumbled near me, his grim face missing much of the excitement one would expect at such news.

18

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