Chapter 3
Iwasn’t going to die. Not this dawn. Not by the hands of a Zamarien no less.
I turned my wings into an extension of my arms, using all seven pairs to scoop and push through the water.
Each thrust of my wings allowed me to surge higher, creating distance behind me.
I cut through layer after layer of water.
I could not let Tharic catch up with me.
I maneuvered through the waterfall with great effort, forcing my way through, pushing against each rushing wave. But the waterfall pushed back. Like a living force, water slammed into me, wave after wave, trying to drag me down.
I found an open pocket, churning with water. Tucking in my wings, I aimed myself like a spear. Pulling on my starfire, I launched through the water. When my body hit the pocket, it shot me higher up the waterfall, like the explosion of a geyser.
Thankful for some momentum, I whipped out my wings, and began meticulously climbing through this wretched waterfall, pushing higher.
Stars. Ellabeth had been so right.
This was a special kind of Hèls.
My muscles were already straining from the effort. I blinked droplets from my eyes. My chest squeezed. I wanted a break to catch my breath. Looking above, I counted six air pockets. When I made it to the sixth, I would let myself take a break.
Just ahead of me was a brown-skinned male.
He was colored like sand, with short-cropped brown hair, and a tall, muscular form.
He navigated through the water as if he spent every waking moment swimming around the Ouanaviel Island.
The male bent to look down at me. Then he focused on a spot further down, past me.
“Little prey,” Tharic called. My hearts seized. “I’m coming for you.”
Trying not to panic, I cut through the water harder. Faster. I pushed my wings to their limits. Tharic was both taller and stronger. I was going to have to rely on my nimbleness if I was going to make it out of this waterfall alive.
The male above looked at me and said, “Go. Pass me. I’ll distract him.”
I blinked. Was he helping me? But we weren’t supposed to help each other. He could forfeit Ascension.
“Hey, I know what you’re thinking. Don’t worry.” He nudged his head. “Go. I’m not actually helping you. I’m just…slowing him down. Which also benefits me.”
He winked and moved to the side, waiting for me to swim past him.
“Safah,” I called out, finding thanks insufficient. “I’m Safah…and thank you. Infinitely.”
“Omarion,” he called out, using his wings to swim down. “And I know who you are. The Wyliums love the Anathelles.”
Omarion winked at me with those light green eyes of his, so light they looked hazel.
I kept swimming as he headed for Tharic.
The waterfall began to curve, the current flowing down through the columns of the Starfell Mountains.
I followed the bend, enjoying the breather with the curve.
My hearts pumped less which made reserving my air easier.
Leaning to the side, I used my wings to fly through the water, instead of swim. I gained speed, aiming for the next air pocket. The moment I reached it, I took a deep gulp of air, flooding my internal air reserves, before the pocket launched me upwards.
Sneaking a peek below, I found Omarion already swimming away from Tharic, expertly maneuvering through the water. I searched for Tharic’s form, finding him multiple wingspans behind. Whatever Omarion had done had royally ticked him off. His pale cheeks were splotchy with crimson.
After Tharic, a female was swimming through her Ascent. She was pretty with wide silver eyes, deep umber skin, and long, ivory hair.
“Stars, I’ve waited so long to finally Ascend,” she squealed.
Idiot. I wanted to throttle her for opening her mouth.
Tharic heard the female, turned, and rushed down to meet her.
Before she could react, Tharic wrapped his wings around her petite frame, snapped her neck, and punctured her chest with one of his talons.
He ripped the talon out, and slapped all seven pairs of his wings into her body, sending her hurling through the water until she collided, face first, into the waterfall’s side.
I flinched as her body snapped against the rock, her golden blood seeping through the water, turning the waterfall into a grave.
I blinked, conflicted. What about her spirit? Her body couldn’t just be left here. Her spirit had to be siphoned so it could be filed. Everything inside of me screamed to swim to her lifeless body and collect her abandoned spirit.
“Safah, go,” Omarion called.
I blinked and realized he’d already reached me, and swam right past, headed for the next peak of the waterfall that would push out to the edge of the Goldstone Bridge. Tharic turned away from the female he’d just killed and looked up at me.
“There’s my little prey.” He grinned. I felt sick. “You’re next.”
I whipped around, cutting through the water faster than before. Omarion was swift. One moment, I was pushing through the water after him. The next, he was gone.
Blessed lights.
The bloodshed had already started.
The waterfall curved from the center of the Starfelliel Mountains, and through an ivory cave lit up with chromatic light.
I rushed through, taking in bits of the beauty.
Ivory rock stacked atop each other, while the water flowed down each step like a rushing river.
At the center was a rocky step way that led all the way to the top.
At the base of each step, the rock was also lit with chromatic light.
In here, the trees were ivory with golden leaves and iridescent colored fruit. It was a magical sight.
I quickly looked away and pushed through the water. The waterfall curved again. Angling my body, I chose to fly. Swimming was too slow. Not with Tharic gaining on my heels.
I took the bend of the upcoming curve, thrusting myself toward the next air pocket. I snapped my wings, the sound like a thunderclap. Loud and jarring, a wave of water rushed down as the motion propelled me upward.
Now it was a straight shot. I’d reached the part of the waterfall that rose into the clouds. Here was where the Ouanaviel Island joined to the the islet above where Temple Efysis was rooted. I repeated the motion, needing to create more distance between me and Tharic.
I navigated through a new rush of water, begging for this infernal stretch of the Ascent to end.
With another thrust of my wings through hardened water, I saw the shining edge of the Goldstone Bridge.
Propelling myself upward, I raced for the bridge, desperate to be free of this hèllish waterfall. Then:
“Gotcha, little prey.”
No.
I whipped around just as Tharic slammed his wings into my spine. I went hurling through and out of the waterfall. I barreled onto the platform of the Goldstone Bridge, rolling over three times before coming to a stop. I screamed, agonizing pain flooding my water-logged body.
Focus, Safah.
I opened my eyes, breathing through my teeth past the stinging heat licking my bones. I’d made it onto the bridge.
MOVE.
I rolled to my stomach, pushed to my feet, and ran.
“For Infinite’s sake! Just die!” Tharic roared, coming up behind me, running after me at full speed.
“How about you piss off, first,” I called back, racing across the bridge.
If I wasn’t trying to avoid certain death, I would take time to admire the beauty of the Goldstone Bridge. It was long, elongating across a pathway cut straight through the clouds.
On either side, all you could see were the billows. There was no telling just how high we were. There were no rails on the bridge, and each golden brick was three times the size of my head.
I swallowed past the beating drums in my chest. I pushed Tharic to the recesses of my mind. I needed to concentrate. One foot in front of the other. Run.
Up ahead were two females. They looked like sisters. As I neared them, I couldn’t help but feel sorry. One of them had slipped. The other was trying to pull her up over the side of the bridge.
Both were losing the battle.
Where the one was pulling, it looked like the bricks beneath her sandals were lifting. If they pushed up any further, she’d go sliding off the side of the bridge, too. I stormed past, screaming at them breathless.
“Tharic…behind me…hates females. He’ll kill you…RUN!”
I didn’t look back once I passed them. They could do with my warning what they wanted. As for me, I was crossing this bridge alive.
I ran until I neared a layer of brick that rose up like steps. I ran up the steps without a thought. Only to find a dead end on the other side. And a wide chasm across to the other side. To cross, I’d have to jump.
Merciful Infinite, help me.
I didn’t dare slow down. I raced across at full speed. And jumped.
For a moment, I was weightless. Then my body began hurling towards the bridge floor. When I landed, I rolled twice, pushed to my feet, and kept running. I kept my wings snapped into my spine so I could go faster. Behind me, I heard endless screaming.
Then a snap. A crunch. Another set of screaming.
Something whizzed past my head, landing several paces ahead. When I ran past the object, I saw it was three talons, ripped from the jointed points of wings.
Burning Tharic Zamarien.
What a barbarian.
I didn’t let myself think about the females. About how he’d surely tossed them over like a bag of feathers. All I could do was run or else the next one he’d toss over the side of this bridge would be me.