Текст книги "Immortal"

Автор книги: Tina Bright

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Tina Bright
Immortal

The characters and events of this work of art are fiction.

Any resemblance to real people, living or deceased, was not envisioned by the author.

Prologue

The Oracle's Grotto, 2015

This has happened only three times throughout human history. And each time it marked another end of the world, merciless war, pestilence or epidemic. All the Guardians had been called to the Oracle's Grotto only three times before that.

A small army of 530 Guardians crowded together. An eerie calm set in a dome-shaped stuffy grotto. None of them was old enough to know what was going on. Never before have they gathered in the same room at the same time for the last 300 years. Even their Commander, the stern guy named Tol, felt confused. He stood at the end of the grotto, thoughtfully looking down at his soldiers. Tol crossed his arms over his mighty chest. Irritation was growing inside him.

The grave silence of the Grotto was only occasionally interrupted by the sound of shuffling feet or a noisy sigh. The impatience grew with every minute, and everyone began to feel the alarming tentacles making their way through the strong armor of warriors. None of 530 Guardians knew why they had been called from their posts and how this strange visit would end.

Only two hours later, the High Priest slowly and majestically floated into the Grotto. He looked at all those present with his stern gaze as if looking for someone specific. And when his eyes finally lingered on the Commander he nodded.

The High Priest silently returned to the depths of the Grotto; Tol followed him and stopped only when they reached the Sanctuary, which no males could enter.

"This is a pretty extraordinary honor for you to behold a moment of prophecy. Leaving this Sanctuary, you will have to find the best Guardian and send him on a mission, which the existence of Life on Earth will depend on."

Tol nodded again and glanced into the center of the Sanctuary. A young woman of extraordinary beauty laid on a narrow ledge. She had nothing on except for transparent sacred garment. That woman was the Oracle. Only three prior Oracles have used their right to call the Forces for the protection of the Source.

Suddenly, a frail body levitated off the altar, twisted in a bizarre position, and let out a rough otherworldly voice,

"Charon left his post. Over his deeds, the army of Ancient Evil will gain freedom and try to capture the Source… The Girl must be protected at all costs… She is the one to pay the debt of Charon and protect the Source. Gather all the forces. The battle is coming! The waters of the Styx will parch, Chaos will reign on the Earth! Don't let him have her Power!" the High Priest echoed, interpreting the strange gibberish of the young woman.

The Oracle helplessly fell on the altar, but her voice was long echoing around the place.

"You can go! Follow your destiny! Protect the girl at all costs!" the High Priest said.

"I did not understand a single thing! Must my best Guardian protect the mortal one?" the Commander of the Guardians was astonished. "How can she be useful to Chaos? And how can she protect the Source? A little over 20 years ago, Charon had already left his post and was punished for that. His chains are woven from the heavenly matter! There's no chance he could escape! May the Oracle have misunderstood something?

The High Priest looked rigorously at the Commander.

"How dare you doubt the vision? The Oracle has been serving us for centuries. He calls a vision on our order because it is nothing but a weak-willed creature, a Vessel filled with the knowledge we need. There have been only several times in the history when the Oracle had a vision on its own. This vision is a direct message of Balance. If the Dark Forces succeed in taking over the Source then Chaos will awaken! And then everyone will die: the Balance, the Supreme Gods! Therefore, if the Oracle said that Charon had left his post, then so it is! Choose the best Guardian and send him to protect the girl. He will know exactly whom he is destined to watch. Let him follow the trail of Charon."

The High Priest left, and the Commander of the Guardians was long pondering over his words. He had no habit of contradicting the Priests who occasionally gave orders, even though he was the only one of 530 Guardians who could resist their Will. But right now, he could not believe the words uttered by the Oracle. He personally chained Charon more than twenty years ago. And when Tol got down to work, then, as a rule, no one could doubt the quality of the result.

When Tol reached the Grotto, he was surprised by the extraordinary revival among his soldiers. He could see the signs of indignation, fear, and dissatisfaction on the faces of the soldiers – emotions that were not typical of them for more than one thousand years.

"What is going on?" the Tol's voice thrilled through the place and instantly silenced everyone present.

"They're recruiting!" one could hear from afar.

"Many of us are removed from posts for the protection of the Source!" another voice echoed.

"And the rest of us need to cover the territory three times as much as we have previously guarded!" the third Guardian concluded.

The Commander thoughtfully rubbed his chin. He understood the reason for the indignation of the Guardians. One could not become but only be born as the Guardian. This privilege was granted by the right of birth. Only the eldest son of the Guardian could become a warrior after many years of training and feats. Only a few women were fortunate enough to be the only children of their fathers and with huge efforts to defend their right to fight among the defenders of both kingdoms in order to subsequently prove via the hard daily work the rightness of decisions by the Council of Elders that had adopted them.

The need for recruits meant only one thing – the Oracle was not mistaken, and a terrible battle was coming; they needed to get ready.

"Brothers, the Oracle called us in here to announce the approaching fateful battle! The Source is in danger because of Charon's escape!" as soon as these words were uttered, 529 warriors gasped in fear taken aback by their Commander's speech.. "You all know the legend about the future of two kingdoms when the waters of the Styx will parch and the Source will be captured by someone with evil intent! This is more than just a cautionary tale. It is our duty to execute the orders and sacrifice our lives to prevent the reign of Chaos. Are you ready for this, my Brothers?"

"Yes," the Grotto was shaken by a motivated, harmonious roar.

"Be courageous then! We are about to meet with danger face-to-face!"

"Why me?" Eugene asked.

Tol had no answer to this question of his Guardian. He himself had no clear understanding of the entire situation but was certain about the choice. Despite the fact that Eugene drastically differed from all the other Guardians due to his temper that was simply unmanageable, often argued with the Commander and ignored orders completing the mission at his own discretion, he was gifted with some unprecedented strength, agility and courage, surpassing even Tol. The latter had long considered the young man as his successor and tried to teach him all the tricks of the army management. Tol was certain that he could entrust the most important mission to this Guardian and be sure about the result. However, it was Eugene's prerogative to choose the strategy to be applied.

"I need someone I can lean on. You are definitely not the one asking for specific instructions I cannot provide you. The only important thing is to protect the human!"

"I have been trying to avoid meeting these creatures for 215 years. You are perfectly aware of my attitude towards them. How can you be sure that I won't destroy this human being myself?"

"She is important!" Tol got up abruptly from the table, tired of bickering with his subordinate. "Too much depends on this girl. The Charon's escape ruined the Balance, which may affect the Source."

"Oh, Gods! And this human being is a woman! And don't you say she is a teenager!"

"I don't know. But you will have to watch her even if she is a baby! Do you understand?"

Tol was in that state when it was better not to argue with him. Regardless of Eugene's attitude towards the mission, since he considered the protection of some human being beneath his dignity, he had to come to terms with his Commander. He sighed heavily and asked,

"How can I find her?"

"The High Priest said to follow the trail of Charon. This is the way for you to find her. Try not to scare her with your appearance. According to the prediction, she must fight on the side of good! You are to help her become a fighter! Too much depends on this! I still have to talk to the Elders. This has never happened before, and I think that there may be complications in your mission, but so far you are required to protect her."

Having heard the last sentence of the Commander, Eugene barely suppressed a chuckle, thinking that if the existence of both kingdoms depends on the girl they are in serious trouble…

Chapter 1

Boston. Massachusetts.

At the end of August, the freshness of the breeze came to Boston from the ocean and finally dispelled the suffocating heat. The stone jungle was able to take a break from the heat and breathe deeply. At this season, the city became especially beautiful, filled with the atmosphere permeated with knowledge, excitement from the approach of a new stage in life and the rustle of pages. Tens of thousands of freshmen flocked from all over the country to this amazing city to become part of the great Harvard brotherhood or to learn exact sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Everyone had their own dream, in the implementation of which no one could doubt, inhaling the wonderful aroma of the city, which motivated and inspired confidence.

But no one dared to confess a constant sense of fear. When you come to Boston from a small town, with all your provincial habits, you get the fear that you will never get used to it and blend in. Boston, like New York, was famous for its outstanding scientists who had achieved success. However, a number of failures also became the talk of the town. The city simply chewed those who got lost in the abundance of opportunities and spit them out to the edge of life.

Personally, I felt terribly afraid, and I preferred to keep silent about it. It was my first day away from home, my first day of independent life away from family and friends. My boyfriend Jackson came along with me. Though we spent almost all our life together, it was frightening and uncomfortable to realize that we would live together as a real couple.

We almost immediately found an apartment on the outskirts of Boston. Jackson did not want to live in the dormitory far from me, so we did not hesitate to rent an apartment of 29 sq.m. that had struck us with its atmosphere. It immediately seemed so cozy that I felt like crying and laughing from the feeling of being like home.

All our belongings fitted into the trunk of the Jackson's pre-owned Ford, and now these few boxes were scattered randomly around in the bedroom.

"We should have marked them!" I involuntarily shuddered from unexpected touches of Jackson, which brought me out of my reverie. "Did I scare you? I am sorry!" Jackson leaned his cheek against my ear, as he always did hoping to reassure me. "You have nothing to fear. Soon we will get used to the new place, make friends, find a job. Everything will be all right!"

"I know. It's just unusual not to hear the cries of the little ones, not to help my mother around the house, not to think about final exams…" and yet there was this strange feeling of anxiety inside, which did not pass no matter what I did.

"By the way! We still did not celebrate your graduation! Your friends insist on a party," my boyfriend's posed enthusiasm touched me. He never liked parties, but I did. My friends oftentimes had those evenings when Jackson came along with me and acted like a knight in shining armor if things got out of hand. It should be noted that it was an ordinary thing when Mickey and Rosy were the ones to organize the event. My best friends are walking disasters.

"Oh, no! Please! I don't feel like having a party right now. There's still so much to do before the semester starts."

"I'm afraid they won't back off. You know them well! They are not going to stop…" Jackson started laughing.

The only good news was that the girls would move to Boston in two days. And only then they would organize a party to celebrate the graduation, which we were deprived of due to Director Sanders. This old intriguer did not allow us to attend our own graduation. The day before the exams, he searched our drawers, where the students kept their secrets. In the end, he found a package of weed in the drawer of some cheerleader, and we all were deprived of the right to attend one of the most important events in our lives. Due to the absence of graduates, the chic ball turned into some gathering with homemade pizza and the signature toddy of our math teacher. Something told me it was Mr. Sanders' thoughtful step to save the school budget.

It took us long to persuade Mr. Sanders to let us at least pass the exams, otherwise, we would not be able to apply to universities. We defended this right though had to say goodbye to the party.

Not that I was too worried about it. On the contrary, instead of a stupid ball with voting for a queen and a king of the class, I had an unforgettable evening with my family. We said goodbye to my parents who did not want to let me go as if Boston was not three hours away from our home but on the other side of the Universe. And here we are far from all the friends, plunged into the routine of independent life.

I felt exhausted by the evening. We had no bed but a mattress with pillows, though it seemed unusually attractive and infinitely comfortable. It is so strange that people sometimes leave a cozy father's house for the sake of independence in an empty and cold apartment with dilapidated walls. We fly out of the parent's nest, filled with dreams and great plans, enthusiasm to implement them but, eventually, we turn into the same slaves of routine as our parents and hundreds of generations before them. One way or another, we still had a lot of strength and hope that our life with Jackson would be filled with a little more meaning than "home-work-children-death."

The next morning, I went to the Harvard Administrative Corps. I did not believe that I still managed to enter the most prestigious and old university in the country. I was lucky enough to get a scholarship since my parents could not afford to pay for my tuition regardless of their desire. Though, I had to cover myself the rest of the expenses. Jackson helped me with financial matters, but I had already arranged a couple of interviews because I could not be a drain on his pocket and wanted to help him pay for the apartment and other current bills.

After filling out a bunch of forms and finishing all the formalities at the university, I decided to take a walk around the territory. The green lawn was neatly trimmed as if calling to sit down and enjoy the book by Shakespeare; the majestic buildings, built of red brick, were waiting for the arrival of new students. The smell inside was amazing: the combination of old volumes of books, leather and wood inspired to acquire knowledge. Now I understood the worship of Harvard students to their University, who were honored to become members of the brotherhood and proud to be called the graduates of the Ivy League Institution for the rest of their lives. Most of them worshipped Harvard University so much that they would constantly wear various attributes, confirming their association with the university, starting with caps and ending with hoodies.

I was honored to be a part of this amazing cult and, having spent only a couple of hours in the territory, had no idea how I could study elsewhere.

It took me a couple of hours of walking through the University's territory to study all possible routes and visit the open buildings. By the end of the day, I was filled with the same excitement as the rest of the Harvard fans.

"You're glowing!" Jackson smiled at me when I got home.

"I can't wait to start the semester and visit all the classrooms, read all the books, have lunch in the canteen, and meet the professors!"

"I think you've caught the Harvard fever!" Jackson squeezed me in his arms.

"Is this how you call the delight of being in Harvard at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology?"

"No. This is my know-how!" he laughed and we began to kiss, rolling back and forth on the mattress.

It was hard to understand Jackson Wink. We had known each other for more than 10 years, but I still had not reached the depths of his knowledge. He was only 3 years older than me. Though, sometimes it seemed like he was 30 years older. He knew literally everything about everything, could build unthinkable mechanisms from scrap and repair any equipment. At the age of 21, he patented two inventions, which provided him with a position of the trainee in the Development Department of the Boston Dynamics Company. I was terribly proud of him, though I felt bored at times when Jackson was entirely devoted to his inventions.

In these frequent moments, I liked to admire his perfect complexion and well-shaped constitution. Sceptics from the outside could call him the standard of male beauty. He was of an attractive appearance with no zest and no charisma, which was typically shown on the cover of some tabloid. For me, there was no better man in the world but him. I loved stroking his short hair, which tickled my palms, massaging his mighty shoulders, which he inherited from his ancestors that made everybody get madly envy and consider the existence of such a body without the slightest effort to be unfair. Jackson's only drawback was poor eyesight, which caused him to wear glasses, as he categorically rejected the lenses.

According to karmic laws, it was incomprehensible that I, being of no remarkable appearance and mind, was able to get this guy. Yet he loved me for some unthinkable reason. I was sure that he was only loyal to me and I reciprocated, realizing that I have the best of men. It was very presumptuous to believe at such a young age that this circumstance could not be changed, but something suggested that one way or another, our lives would be bound until the end of our days.

"Darsy Black, do you know you're the most amazing girl in the world?" Jackson suddenly asked, having stepped aside.

"When I look into your eyes, I start to believe it."

And, indeed, it was impossible to doubt something that was said in such a tone. His eyes reflected the depth of these emotions. Those beautiful hazel eyes simply were not capable of lying.

"Pasta or risotto?" beside everything else, he was a skillful cook. He was a perfect man. My stomach growled piteously.

"Pasta!"

"Good choice!" Jackson winked at me and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. "With seafood, right?"

"It's my favorite," I smiled, anticipating a small feast.

After having a delicious pasta and washing dishes, I got a call from my mother.

"How are you doing?" I was worried.

"Nothing unusual. It's noisy and dirty. Mary doesn't want to fall asleep without your bedtime story. I could barely stand until she calmed down yesterday."

"Put her on the phone."

A minute later, I heard my little sister's voice in the receiver,

"You left us!" she whimpered.

"I know, my angel! It's not forever! I need to study. And I will visit you on weekends. You should help our mother with the boys because only girls can keep everything in order around the house, right?"

"Yes, but everything is different without you!"

"I understand. Don't be sad. Mom says you don't want to fall asleep without a bedtime story… Let's make a deal that I will tell you stories every evening and you will help Mom. Deal?"

"Ok!" the sister got enthusiastic.

"What story would you like to listen tonight?"

"About the Dragon and Prince Charming!"

I started telling her a fairy tale. It has been six years since I began telling my little sister fairy tales every evening without which she refuses to fall asleep. She is only eight years old. She looks so much like an angel with her blonde curls and so unlike me with brown hair. We often came up with stories together and we always imagined ourselves to be princesses, who were depicted on the covers of children's books, being completely different in appearance, but with similar stories that must necessarily end well. Soon, she will grow up and stop believing in happy endings, and hopefully learn to live in real life. Otherwise, her life will be filled with sorrowful disappointments, because life is full of imperfections, and everything is much more prosaic. Every such disappointment changes you into a different person, not as pure as in childhood.

One could hear the child's puffing on the other end, and the mother picked up the phone again.

"What would I do without you? It's amazing how you get along!"

"How are the boys? How is the father?"

"Everything is great, but I miss you. We all miss you madly. We're waiting for you this weekend after you get settled in a new place. How's everything with Jackson?"

"Everything's great! You know he will not let me get into trouble. I went to the campus. I can't wait until the classes start! I also signed up for two interviews, and I hope to get at least one job offer."

"You're gonna make it! You're a good girl."

Mother's praise was priceless. She sounded tired, and we soon said goodbye to each other, so that we both could get rest.

Two days later, as Jackson predicted, my friends arrived. Each visit of Rosy and Mickey usually turned into some chaos. It was literally like a natural cataclysm – unstoppable, destructive, and devastating. They flew in like a whirlwind, made a disorder and left back home, leaving others to mop up the mess. But, personally, I loved these two noisy ladies, who at the moment were constructing something unimaginable on my head – "evening coiffure".

"This is the latest trend. Everyone will be amazed!" happy Mickey was chattering. She was the brains, and Rosy was the brawn.

"Who are you talking about? Will someone tell me where we are going?"

"This will be a surprise, babe! But, trust me, you'll be delighted with our choice," Rosy said.

My friends would always repeat that phrase at the beginning of each crazy adventure that ended, as a rule, very badly: with injuries, robbery, accident, or something like that. And every time it started with a surprise. That's why I didn't like them… And where did this strange love for such adventures come from?

When my appearance finally was accepted as satisfactory, the four of us took Jackson's car and headed in unknown direction. This time, Rosy dressed me in her short skirt and a suede top with thin straps. This was far from my style, but I did not want to argue with friends.

According to global standards, Boston was not a big city. It was spanning among the modest hills. Majestic skyscrapers filled the night city with colorful lights, making Boston even more beautiful at night than during the day. This city never slept.

Admiring the beauty, I did not notice how we parked at one of the most popular nightclubs in the city. Few people knew that this nightclub hosted the opening party of the new semester at Harvard. Freshmen, and especially students from other universities (like Jackson), were not allowed – but not today. We easily got inside and dove into the world of student madness in the nightclub called Royal.

"My goodness!" Rosy gasped.

I tactfully remained silent, and Jackson pulled me closer. He was clearly not a fan of such places. And this time, I completely agreed with him.

The atmosphere of debauchery, intoxication and rampant fun reigned in the club. The place amazed by its size from the outside, but inside there was neither free space nor fresh air. The dance floor was crowded with drunken students rubbing against each other and jumping in some frantic and chaotic rhythm.

We barely made our way to the bar and ordered a cocktail, Jackson refused to drink. After another cocktail, my head began to pound, and the whole event began to seem not so terrible. We spent the next couple of hours on the dance floor, only occasionally stopping for drinks, which Mickey's fake license helped us to buy.

"We have two reasons for celebration today!" Mickey screamed in my ear.

"What is the second one?" I asked her.

Mickey nodded at Rosy, who was spinning about her axis.

"Our friend finally did THIS last weekend! Whoo!" Mickey started screaming. Apparently, she meant that Rosy and her boyfriend, with whom they had been flirting for a few months and then dating for a year, were close enough to make Rosy become a woman. Despite her lifestyle, Rosy was still a virgin at 18. She was afraid of intimacy, even though we told her there was nothing to worry about.

"Is it the floor or my head spinning?" I asked my friends.

Obviously, they were as drunk as I was, leaning on some guys, completely unaware of their actions and consequences they may lead to.

"Damn it!" Jackson muttered.

"What happened?" I barely uttered.

"The alarm went off. Will you be ok without me for a few minutes?" one could see the anxiety in his eyes, but it was not clear whether for me or for the car.

"Sure! I will be fine," I waved.

Jackson disappeared in the crowd. Without his support, I suddenly doubted my words. My stomach twisted, and I had to rush outside not to throw up at my feet. It was not that easy to push away the raging crowd. They seemed to make fun of me, deliberately pushing back. I was getting worse, and I was ready to crawl between the legs just to get out of the stuffy place.

I saw the desired exit ahead of me, and it was just within a step away. My feet carried me to the door. It was the emergency exit. I got out just into the narrow deserted street, along which garbage bins and black bags stood. At least there was no crowd. The air was cold, soaked with garbage stench. And even that was better than staying inside.

I threw up between the garbage bins and finally felt the relief.

"I will never drink that much again."

My legs became weak and did not obey. I decided to take a break for a few minutes. Leaning on the garbage bin, I felt drowsy. I made a bad choice.

Suddenly, a man appeared in front of me. He hit the metal dumpster, apparently, to frighten me, in which he undoubtedly succeeded.

"I have nothing! Please don't hurt me!" I automatically begged in a whisper.

Fear paralyzed me. The man was only a couple of inches away, and I could see every detail of his face. He froze for a long few moments in an unnatural position, which was extremely uncomfortable for his height. It seemed that his height was no less than three meters. His hands were covered in some ooze resembling the oil, his face was ash-grey with every vein swollen under the skin. It was incredible, but I got the feeling that his veins were filled not with blood but with the same liquid as on his hands. He literally and figuratively smelled death – as if the smell was familiar to me. But his eyes were the most frightening part of his appearance. They were not of this world, this very man was not of this world. If it was Halloween today, I would think that he chose a perfect makeup for such an occasion.

"I don't want anything from you! On the contrary, I want to give you something!" the man said. His voice sounded as if he was in some catacomb. At that moment, I was ready to believe that he was not a human at all.

«I don't need anything from you! Just let me go!» my common sense had gone somewhere, and instead of pitching the madman a line, I behaved like a frightened girl whom I actually was.

The man laughed and opened his black mouth. He placed his hands around my head and clenched them in an iron grip. I could not move and even make a sound as if being hypnotized. The black smoke erupted from the monster's mouth and slipped into mine. The cold, fear and darkness filled me from the inside. I could feel this loathsome thing with my every tendon, vein, and cell. Everything was changing – my feelings, thoughts, and desires, as if I was turning into the same dark creature as the man in front of me.

He breathed out the last drops and left, leaving me paralyzed like it'd never happened. Billions of feelings and thoughts went through my body. Countless faces appeared in my head, each expressing the death torment. I could hear the prayers, though I was all by myself at the place. Even the pain of these people did not escape me. Tones of hellish water were squeezing my chest. These waters compelled me, instilling the desire to drown. Their color was unusual – the black waters were glittering with silver due to the souls inside them. I felt their pain, anger, and terror, witnessed their suffering. I wanted to ease their pain more than anything in the world, but they now became the part of that eternal flow as a sign of punishment.

Stretching out my hand, I felt the warmth and the scorching cold of the flow at the same time. The river absorbed me in the twinkling of an eye. I dissolved in its black waters.

My consciousness was disturbed by some bright light. The morning sun rays lit up a small room.

I blinked a few times. Was it our apartment? How was that possible? I was definitely confused. Alcohol had evaporated, and I was left with tons of questions and a headache. All the past memories were nothing but delirium under intoxication, and this realization made me feel somehow better.

I was still wearing yesterday's clothes. I was lying on the mattress, carefully covered with a blanket. My head was throbbing, my body ached, and my throat smarted with thirst. Jackson had thoughtfully put a glass of water and some pills on a plate near the mattress. As soon as I greedily swallowed the pills and gulped the water, Jackson entered the room.