Chapter 19 Haunted #2
Caemorn wore all back from his black boots to the collar that fitted tightly around his throat up to his chin.
Only his hands and face were free of material.
He was pale and perfect. Grayson was reminded almost of a porcelain doll.
His hands lifted from his sides and seemed almost to hover, armless, in the darkness.
His palms were towards them and there was nothing in them, but then two soul gems, one green and another red appeared in each hand held between his pointer and middle fingers.
They reminded Grayson of a magician’s hands or a surgeon’s. Quick, supple, elegant and efficient.
The red one glowed softly and began to burn like a hot red ember.
A few in the front row had to lift their hands up to shield their eyes as the gem glowed as hot as the sun.
The glow then lessened until it was but a dull spark left inside.
But nothing appeared to have happened. At least that’s what Grayson and likely everyone else not involved with the show thought at first. But then Grayson saw the creeping mist as it flowed over the ground and between the pillars.
It curled around his feet. People lifted one foot up then another, not liking how the mist completely obscured the ground.
And maybe they felt the subtle plucking at their heels that Grayson did.
The mist rose up covering his calves, knees, thighs then it was up to his waist and kept rising up past his chest to his chin.
The mist flowed over his face. It tasted slightly metallic, almost bloody to him, with a faint trace of rain, which was the oddest combination.
He heard a few coughs around him as some tried clearing their throat.
Then as quickly as it had come, the mist retreated and Grayson was left blinking as the air was clear once more.
He heard someone gasp. His lips parted as well as he saw what the mist had brought.
There was an army of skeletons surrounding them.
Creatures, Vampires, humans and things inbetween.
Their eyes were filled with the red light that had filled the soul gem.
Grayson spun around to see that the undead were everywhere.
They were standing all around them. The cameras were being swung wildly to capture this army of the undead that stood silently, awaiting commands.
Grayson had seen Kaly summon such armies before, but always in battle, never as a show, but truly Caemorn was a born showman.
There were ahhhs and ooooohhhhs as well with a few people scrabbling away from the undead.
Kaly Vampires quietly removed those people who started to truly freak out.
They would not be Kaly material. Grayson saw that Amara, Hue and Mairead were not among those who were shocked by the undead though they all had wide eyes.
Oddly, Mairead’s spent more time on Amara than on the undead. It was subtle, but he noticed it.
One of the students walked over to the nearest undead Vampire.
They were all bones, but Grayson could see the fangs.
She reached out to touch its bony chest. The thing did not react to her touch or follow her as she slowly walked around it.
She then went drifting out further into the sea of undead, fascinated and unable to look away.
Her name is Charis. She’s a top Kaly pick, Christian’s voice said in his mind. She feels more at home among the dead than the living.
She’s a good choice then, Grayson agreed.
Caemorn had little hope that there would be any Kaly potentials in the first group, but Balthazar was determined that there would be, Christian said with a touch of unfettered pride. Too many who are interested in dead things have problems with violence.
Yeah, I can imagine. Grayson couldn’t help but think of Legion. In the past, we found that there are two kinds of the best Kaly recruits: medical doctors and religious people. The first are fascinated by what life actually is and anti-life. The second wants to know everything else.
Amara was a possible consideration, but she has other issues, unfortunately, Christian said.
What other issues? Grayson frowned.
She’s a spy, Christian said.
She has no structure–
No, for the humans, Christian explained.
And we let her in to make them think we can’t read thoughts as well as we can? Grayson lifted an eyebrow even a smile twitched at his lips.
Yes, and so that we might learn more about those that oppose us, who they are, what they are all about, Christian said.
Grayson wondered if Mairead had discovered something about this and that was why she was watching Amara like a hawk.
One Vampire skeleton who wielded a sword that glittered like frost under the twin moons stepped up to the raised platform.
A massive bear-like skeleton with tusks that reminded Grayson of a saber-toothed tiger faced off against it.
The two began to move. The Vampire skeleton gracefully slashed and stabbed at the bear-like beast. It swiped those massive front claws at the more nimble figure.
The Vampire managed to cut down one of the right forelimbs causing the bear-like creature to collapse on its side.
In victory, the Vampire skeleton got too close and stayed too close as the bear-like creature used its other front limb to sweep the Vampire’s bony legs out from under them.
The Vampire crashed to the ground. The bear-like creature ripped off the Vampire skeleton’s head and held it aloft with a creaky roar.
But even without its head, the Vampire was hardly finished.
It slashed through the bear-like skeleton’s spine, cutting the creature in two.
Both halves slumped away, but even that did not end the bear-like creature’s rampage as it continued to crush and swipe with its disjointed limbs.
The Vampire also continued to fight. It was only until they were piles of disarticulated bones that the battle was ended.
People clapped and jumped up and down. Even the reporters couldn’t help but act awed by what they had seen.
It was a true show of supernatural power that their audiences would eat up.
Caemorn wants the humans to see that wounds that would take down a human will not stop his army, Grayson thought. While most will see it as a neat trick, those in the human militaries will see the truth of it.
We don’t want it to come to war. Every show of power we make hopefully dissuades humanity from moving towards that course, Christian said.
Sometimes wars make complete and utter sense. A need for land or resources. A desire to take revenge or protect. But many times they are illogical, Grayson warned.
Yes, that’s true.
The green soul gem in Caemorn’s other hand lit up, burning hot and bright. Grayson thought he heard a far away sigh. The sky that had been clear since the mist was suddenly scudded with clouds. Or they appeared to be clouds.
But they were souls.
He was inspired by Indiana Jones, Christian explained as the souls dove down from the sky and passed through the people.
Many ducked. Others covered their faces.
Some staggered away. Grayson watched those who stood where they were–not seemingly out of fear, but awe–as the souls, made visible because of Caemorn’s power, stared into people’s eyes.
There were more people here than he would have expected who did not look away.
Some even reached to touch the spirits before snatching their hands back as if burned.
The spirits caused the air to chill almost instantly as they also sucked warmth out of the students.
But when Grayson felt the hair on the back of his neck lift, he knew it wasn’t caused by the spirits that Caemorn had summoned.
It was the ones that haunted him getting close. He slowly turned around to see them.
There were three standing there with many just out of visible range. He recognized two of the three immediately. One was Sam. The old man smiled at him and waved. He looked thrilled that Grayson was finally seeing him.
He wants to thank you, Christian said, who had also turned around. For all the kindnesses you did for him when he was alive.
I hardly did anything, Grayson said, his mind voice thick.
You saw him as a person and tried your best to save him, Christian told him. He wants to make sure that you’re going to be okay. He almost left, thinking you wouldn’t need him, but then he saw…
My stepfather, Grayson said sourly.
That was the other spirit he recognized.
The man was pacing back and forth like a caged animal.
He was glaring at Grayson. It was clear that though over a decade had passed he was still in the same rage he’d been in when he’d attacked Grayson so long ago.
His spirit was still caught up in that moment.
Does he know he’s dead? Grayson asked.
No, not really. He knows something is wrong, but he’s trapped in a loop of rage and shame, Christian answered.
Shame? He isn’t sorry for what he did–
Shame that you bested him, Christian quickly explained. He can’t quite believe that all happened.
Ah, that’s more like it.
Grayson’s hands clenched into fists. His powers had no effect on ghosts or he would have ripped his stepfather apart.
He saw Sam looking worried as he glanced between Grayson and his stepfather.
But Sam had never been brave in life so he wasn’t that in death and cringed back even as he gestured for Grayson to get the hell out of there.
It was the third man–the one that Grayson didn’t recognize–who stepped between Grayson and his stepfather, blocking the man’s glaring looks and predator-like rage.
Who is he? Grayson asked.
There was a pause, but then Christian answered simply, Your father.
What? I…
The handsome man had the same chin as Grayson did. The same nose and sweep of broad shoulders. His eyes were filled with love and grief and… Grayson looked away from them.
What is he still doing here? Why hasn’t he moved on? Grayson’s mind voice sounded tortured in his own ears.
The thought of this man he didn’t even remember staying here for decades, unable to speak to him, unable to change anything in Grayson’s life was hideous. Besides, he didn’t need a father! He was Ashyr! He had no father! This man had wasted his afterlife with this! Wasted it!
He stayed because he knew you were special, Christian said quietly. He knew that your life would be hard. And when he was taken from you too early, he did all he could to stay. To watch over you.
But that’s foolish! He can do nothing! He–
Do you really believe that? Christian interrupted gently.
Grayson was shaking, but he realized it wasn’t from cold. The chill from the other spirits was gone and the specific chill from his stepfather was being blocked. His head shot up so that he was looking into his father’s eyes again.
He shouldn’t have stayed. He shouldn’t… he should go. Tell him he can go! Grayson pleaded. I can take care of myself now. I don’t need him to waste his time on–
He won’t go if I ask him to, Christian said.
Then I will. Grayson stormed closer to his father’s ghost. Go! He pointed off into the distance. Go! I don’t need you!
His father did not go. He didn’t look angry either. He appeared resolute and sad.
Why won’t he leave, Christian? What is the point of this? I am an Immortal–
You are his son, Christian answered.
No, I–
You are his son, Grayson. Immortal or not, Ashyr or not, you are his son, Christian said and put a hand on his shoulder. And he will always protect you.
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