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“No,” he repeated more sternly, shoving Pol’s shoulder. “I’m just concerned. We don’t know where it will open or what Earth is like now. It’s a permanent gateway.”
“It’s only permanent until I destroy it. So, guardit, and if someone comes through, send themback.” Each word was punctuated by my increasing pain and equal annoyance.
Power exploded from my fingertips, the rebound shooting through my veins and burning like wildfire. Before us stood a swirling vortex of my making, and no one in the room could escape its hypnotizing allure.
I temporarily forgot about the pain, so distracted by the blinding light. Pol closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief while I lifted a hand to shield mine from the intensity of its glow.
While we couldn’t see on the other side, I instinctively knew it to be Earth, its unique aura calling back to one of its creators. I would know its essence anywhere. Iwasits essence.
All thoughts soon vanished as another wave of phantom pain sliced my back, and I grunted, swallowing it down.
“Oberon, Styx. With me.”
“Wait, you’re going to cross over without some sort of plan?” Pol said quickly, stepping forward.
“Um, we have a plan. Go through, kill the guardian, reclaim the other half of his soul, and get revenge on a few primordials, man. This isn’t news,” Styx said, huffing. “Let’s get a move on.”
“But—”
“Tartarus will be in good hands,” Abyssian interjected, cutting off his counterpart. “Do what you need to do. We’ll await the day that you return.”
“We’ll await the day? Aren’t you an eager twat. You sound like you’re looking forward to it.” Pol glanced at him, a brow raised. “We’ve already been here for a few thousand years. What’s a few more, right?”
“You needed more hugs as a child,” Abyssian grumbled and rolled his eyes. “It’s not like the elders have an address, or some castle in the sky. Can’t exactly go in for an overnight coup when we don’t even know where they are.”
“Honestly, I hope it takes us another thousand years to find the primordials. I need a break from the bickering,” Oberon muttered.
Styx snorted. “If it did take us a thousand years, I’m pretty sure they’ll have killed each other by then.”
Abyssian and Pollux exchanged looks, and the latter narrowed his eyes further while humming in what sounded like disappointment. Or maybe agreement.
“Shut up, for fuck’s sake,” I growled, massaging the side of my head. “Stay here. Don’t screw it up.”
Both men pressed their lips into a firm line and dipped their chins once. They’d be fine, even if they took a few swings at each other while I was gone. They were still loyal to me, and they would do the job they were tasked with. I deeply cared about Tartarus and its people, and they knew it was important.
An invisible tether pulled me toward the portal the longer I stood there. I wanted to say it was my soul, but it felt like something ... deeper. There were no words to explain it, but I knew without question it would lead me.
I twisted my neck to the side, cracking it. “Let’s go,” I said, my jaw tight.
“Finally.” Styx grinned, eager for action.
The portal flashed at the edges, crackling and sparkling with energy, begging to be used.
My insides burned. The secondhand pain came in waves, damn near blinding at points. With one foot forward, I stepped through the portal and instantly connected with solid ground before a flow of water rushed around our feet. The moment I’d crossed, an overwhelming sense of relief overcame me.
I couldn’t help but look up. The waning moon cast its glow as it peeked around a hazy fog. Countless stars sprinkled the heavens through patches of thick clouds.
I inhaled deeply. Fresh, crisp air filled my lungs. The scent of a world teeming with life. The trees, the dirt, the nearby water: its essence enveloped me.
It was surreal. Something I’d dreamed of seeing and feeling again, though I’d often wondered if it had ever been real or if it were nothing more than a dream itself.
It was a short-lived respite, only to be rapidly replaced by a pressure so great, I wanted to split my skin open just to see if it would relieve the strain.
My hands curled into fists; the nails turned sharp, growing longer to a point that embedded in the thick pads of my palms.
I breathed heavily as I took in my surroundings. The water came from a fountain that broke where the edge of the portal had cleaved into its side. A massive, abandoned building with a cracked domed roof sat in front of an incredible white arch that towered over what appeared to be the town square. A chunk near the top of its curve was missing, leaving the center of it mangled and incomplete.
Styx stood by my side, rigid and calculating as she scanned the city, assessing our location. “Of course we’d come here at night. Haven’t seen the sun in five thousand years. What’s another day?”
