Chapter 11 – Meet Shani Reed

Something was wrong. Aurora awoke to the sound of gurgled murmurs, and a sense of dread filled her body. She struggled to breathe as something pressed against her windpipe, and when she opened her eyes, she was blinded. It took a while for her to gain her sense of control back, and she tumbled backwards, supporting herself on the cold hard earth beneath her.

It was still dark, and she didn’t know the time. The shadows hovering above scared her, and for a moment, the fear froze her entire body.

“Stand,” a gruff voice said. “Now.”

A slick device ran against her skin, and Aurora scrambled to her legs. She fell back on her heels, grabbing for support. Once secure on her feet, she breathed deeply trying to figure out what was happening.

“Ouch.” She flinched as a spear point penetrated the skin on her left shoulder. Her hand hurried to cover the wound, and in the light from a nearby torch, she could see a deep crimson red color running down her arm.

Disorientated, she blinked a few times, trying to discern who held the spear. Standing up straight, she met a freakishly tall woman, who was sneering at her. Glancing around, she noticed a myriad of silhouettes holding spears, bows, and rope. At once, any retaliation she had planned was stuck in her throat.

“Aaron?” someone called. Aurora recognized Milada’s voice. “What’s happening?” she continued.

“It’s going to be okay,” Valeria said. “Aurora?”

“Yeah,” she answered with a small cough.

“Just…” Valeria continued. “Keep your emotions in control—don’t lose your temper.”

Aurora nodded, hoping that the others could see that she understood. She was yanked around and came face to face with another freakishly tall woman. The flickering light from a nearby torch revealed a set of white teeth, the lips in a vicious sneer. Aurora gasped at the sight as she stared into the narrowed brown eyes of the woman.

“Walk.” The woman gestured with her head and waved her torch.

Confused, Aurora turned around and started walking, making sure to keep her eyes on the female warrior in front of her. With her hands tied on her back, she treaded carefully in order to keep her balance. If she were to stumble over the roots, she wouldn’t have any way of protecting herself.

Shouts of anger came from behind her, and Aurora tensed her jaw. Luckily, the noise quieted down before she lost control. Feeling with her hands, she figured the rope was a piece of liana vine. The long-stemmed, woody vine wouldn’t be too difficult to burn through if she needed to escape. But Valeria had asked her to remain calm, and Aurora obliged.

The path before her was only lit by the small flame from the torch behind her. Aurora could barely see two feet ahead of her, and the lack of light made her walk unsteady. Her boots gently tested the ground before she stepped, and she was painfully aware of every rock and shrub they passed over.

Her foot was caught in a twisted root and Aurora could feel herself falling towards the ground. Closing her eyes, she awaited the impact, but a hand wrapped around her arm and yanked her back to her feet. Opening her eyes, she saw the tall woman gestured ahead. “Walk carefully,” she said. “No falling.”

Aurora glanced to the ground before muttering, “Thanks.”

The woman didn’t answer, just kept her hand on Aurora’s arm. It wasn’t a firm grip, and for some reason, Aurora didn’t particularly mind either.

As they walked, Aurora’s eyes adjusted to the dark. Biting her cheek gently, she tried to backtrack the time they’d spent walking, figuring that the sunrise was on its way. She glanced up, hoping to catch a glimpse of the sky through the canopy, but to no avail—the trees grew too close here.

But it pleased her to see that the darkness around her lifted slightly as the daytime crept upon them.

Once she could see more of her surroundings, she was surprised to find the woman in remarkably little clothing. It seemed to be made of leather, and covered only the essentials—like a bikini of sorts. Aurora’s eyes nearly bulged out of her eyes at the sight, but she didn’t speak. There was no point in angering their captors.

The woman pulled her arm gently, shifting direction. They ducked under a low branch, and Aurora could see an opening spread out in front of her. The soil had been cleared from shrubbery and weeds while debris caused a small circle to surround the place.

Tiny half cabins made from the twisted vines and roots were scattered around. To Aurora’s eyes, the small housing seemed almost alive with plants. Their roofs were covered in green, and there were no front walls on any of the tree buildings.

Glancing around, Aurora saw make-believe furniture cut out from wood and bolstered with moss. To the visible eye, it seemed almost cozy, but Aurora wasn’t convinced. Up above, the sky was a clear light blue and there were no other humans in sight.

Their small group was led into the middle of the clearing where five wooden pillars were etched into the ground.

“Stand,” Aurora’s captor said.

Stopping, Aurora waited for the next step. A thick rope was tied around her neck and then secured to the wooden pole.

Arh, crap, Aurora thought as she sunk to her knees. She’d been bound like a human pet. To her right, she saw the rest of her group share her fate.

“Well,” Valeria said. “This sucks.”

“Be quiet,” Aaron demanded. He was tied to the pole next to Aurora’s, and he kept his eyes firmly planted on the ground. “We’ll get free soon. They’re waiting for their high priestess to check on us.”

“How do you know that?” Aurora asked. She turned her head to look at him.

“I just do,” he muttered. “Keep your head down and be quiet.”

His tone made her frown. Nevertheless, she obliged and fixated her stare on the dirt beneath her. The female warriors’ sandal prints proved to be a fascinating pattern, and she tried to focus on them while keeping her mouth shut.

Aaron sighed. “I apologize,” he whispered. “I’m just… tense.”

“It’s okay,” she replied. “I’m used to it.” Folding her hands in her lap, she bowed her head.

“It’s not okay,” he argued. “It’s just…” He paused with a groan. “This part wasn’t covered in my notes.”

His words caused Aurora to frown. “Notes?” she asked. “I thought you knew what to expect out here.”

“In a way,” he explained. “My predecessor”—he gulped—”she wrote this comprehensive thesis on her findings, and I thought…” he trailed off.

“You thought what?” She looked at him.

Aaron raised his head slowly, and then he turned towards her. “I thought I could do this,” he muttered.

Aurora tried to give him a reassuring smile. “You’ve got us this far and—”

“But I’m not her,” he interrupted. “It was foolish of me to think this would work.”

For whatever reason, Aaron seemed to have lost sight of his purpose. Aurora recognized the feeling. She’d found herself on the verge of giving into oblivion more than once. Her memories stretched over thousands of years, and it could be hard to keep an eye on the prize.

Every Immortalia dreamed of salvation—even her.

“Don’t say that,” she whispered. “We got this.”

“You think so?” he asked.

“I know so…” she answered, and then she closed her eyes. She was going to need all her strength if the high priestess weren’t in a jolly mood.

Aaron’s words repeated in her mind. Thesis… A hidden box in the back of her mind rattled. She’d seen a thesis on the Sacred Land before.

Maybe… she thought. It could work…

Aurora needed answers. She peeked out at Aaron, who was sitting perfectly still. He wouldn’t tell her everything, and she knew it wasn’t fair to ask that of him. He was human, and humans lived by certain rules to protect themselves. One of them was that knowledge is power, and it was a power they couldn’t grant Immortalias.

But I don’t need to have him tell me everything. Ron has a thesis on Immortalias, as well, she thought. Of course, she hadn’t been able to visit Ron for an awful long time. Actually, she’d almost forgotten about him. Maybe he’d be mad that she hadn’t been around.

She took a deep inhale.

Ten… Nine… Eight…

With the countdown started, she’d made her decision. Her heartbeat slowed, and she started to control her breathing.

Seven… Six… Five…

It seemed to be working. It had been some time since she’d gotten this far. Her skin tingled, and she found the sensitivity oddly pleasant.

Four… Three… Two…

Without the impending threat of torture hovering over her, she could almost appreciate the way her hair rose, causing goose bumps to appear down her arms.

One…

Her mind filled with excitement of being whirled through time and space, her body dissolving into a million pieces and reforming into a living organism in another place.

She blinked twice, recognizing her surroundings—it was Ron’s home. Her eyes found a burnt spot on the floor, the rug’s hair black from sod. Aurora recognized it as the spot she’d fallen to, when the scientists had forced her to wake up. She glanced at the table--the thesis was still where she’d left it.

What is this? It had been her physical body burning, not something here. It wouldn’t have left a mark on the ground… Would it?

She walked over to look through the papers once more. It was her only clue, and while she didn’t like snooping around, she had to know about the female warriors and the high priestess. If Ron actually had been with Daniel Hawkins to the Sacred Land, the two of them would have encountered these female warriors, as well. She figured that Aaron’s predecessor had accompanied them.

Flipping through the pages, she tried to skim for words relating to warriors. When she found none, she groaned. She sat down on the chair and covered her face with her hands. This was a nightmare.

“Are you okay?” a deep voice asked.

Yelping, Aurora shot up and looked around. With a hand on her racing heart, she looked up and saw a man standing in front of her. “R-Ron?” she asked, tilting her head to get a better look at him—he was handsome.

“Don’t look!” he shouted, holding up his hands to cover her vision.

Then she screamed. Pain exploded in her skulls, and it felt as if someone was poking her eyeballs with a chisel. The agony made her crumble together, and she fell from the chair. Aurora didn’t sense the thump from falling, and she couldn’t hear anything except for her own cries.

A thick and warm liquid fell from her eyes, and she covered her eyes to keep it from falling. She was scared.

It hurts so much.

“Damn it,” she heard Ron curse. “Keep your eyes closed, love. I’ll get help.”

A new wave of pain followed his words, and a new series of wails came from her throat. The sound was horrid, and she cringed at the despair, praying to god that it would end soon.

“Fuck,” Ron said. She felt his hands grab hers, and as he rubbed her knuckles, he let out a small whimper. “You have to tell me what to do,” he said. “I don’t know how to fix this. Oh, please, Shani… help me…”

Aurora felt numb. Her limbs relaxed one by one, and she knew what was coming. She struggled to get her vocal chords to work, but to no avail.

Tears landed on her face, but it wasn’t her own. She looked up, sensing the shadow above her.

“Please…” he whispered, followed by a slight sob. “Don’t leave me…”

I don’t want to… she wanted to say. Her head hurt, and her eyes were moist. She could barely see him through the red filter that covered her eyes.

“I…” she moaned.

“I’ll contact Daniel. He must know what to do—this is his fault,” Ron muttered.

What? She didn’t know what he was talking about…

“Come on, Red…” he muttered. “Please live… You’re my morning sun, my Aurora… I can’t live without you.”

Simultaneously, her heart shattered, and she struggled to breathe. She was going to die. Turning her head away, she blinked the red-tinted tears away and noticed the stack of paper scattered around her. One piece of paper in particular stood out to her—it was the front page.

In a beautiful font, the paperwork was signed ‘Shani Reed Ph.D.’

Confused, she looked back to Ron, wanting to see his face before she died. The thesis didn’t matter any longer. His dark eyes stared back at her, and wanted to cringe at the sight of his tears. He shouldn’t be sad—she didn’t want him to be sad.

“Shani…” he muttered. “I love you so much, my aurora.”

That’s when she recognized him. Aaron? She panicked, widening her eyes at him. But this couldn’t be—

She didn’t get to finish her thought before everything went black.

It didn’t take long for her to wake up again. She couldn’t explain what had happened, but never before in her life had she been happier to find herself tied to a pole. Aurora was panting heavily, and in panic she looked down her body, trying to check if everything was okay. Most of all, she was overjoyed that the red filter over her eyes was gone—it had been a dream.

“Are you okay?” Aaron asked from beside her.

She didn’t reply. There had to be some logic to all of this, and if she just calmed down, she’d be able to see it.

“Aurora?”

The sound of his voice almost tore through her. She should have recognized it sooner. The deep baritones of his voice were unmistakably the same. Even in her dreams—

Dreams… That was all it was, right? God, Aurora felt stupid. She’d believed that her visits with Ron were some sort of alternate reality, but instead it was little more than a simple dream. It wasn’t even her dreams, but a stranger’s memories.

“Who’s Shani?” she whispered.

When Aaron didn’t reply, she lifted her head and looked towards him, meeting his widened eyes. “Aaron?” she said. “Who’s Shani Reed?”

His eyes closed, and when they opened again, he looked as if he was in pain. “H-how do you know that name?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter…” she muttered. “Please tell me.”

“She is—was—my wife,” he answered. “She died a—“

A loud cry interrupted him, and Aurora snapped around to find the female warriors surrounding them. Their spears were long, and she saw fresh blood dripping from a few points. The sights made her already unstable temper flare up.

Aurora concentrated on her right hand, working to burn the liana around her wrists. Within seconds, she jumped to her legs and snapped the vine around her neck.

“Aurora!” Valeria yelled. “Stop!”

But she didn’t listen. Instead, she stared each of the female warriors down, challenging them to have a go at her.

The group dissolved itself, and they stepped aside to let someone through. A small woman with a strange and ugly hat on her head stepped forward. With careful steps, she walked over to Aurora, the movements causing her loose clothing to sway. “You know the other woman?” she asked.

“Who?” Aurora frowned.

“The one with fire in her eyes,” the woman explained. “She told us that you’d come.”

The confusion deflated Aurora’s anger, and she glanced at Aaron who wasn’t moving.

“I am high priestess Heratrix from Amazonas.”

“Okay..?” Aurora wasn’t sure if she had to bow for the woman, but she bowed her head in respect. “I am Aurora from, er, Haw Tech.”

“The man kept his promise, I see.” The priestess glanced over the rest of Aurora’s group. “Untie them!” she commanded.

A small group of women jumped into action, and started to release Valeria and Aaron. Aurora wanted to check on them, but she didn’t dare take her eyes away from the priestess. They were surrounded with no ways of escaping. Nevertheless, Aurora tried to calculate any potential get-away routes.

The high priestess walked closer to her and reached out a hand to Aurora. “Doesn’t it hurt you?” she asked.

“What?” Aurora looked down, noticing that her arm was still covered in flames. “Oh… No… It doesn’t.”

The priestess tilted her head, surveying the flames from afar. “Can you make it stop?”

Nodding, Aurora willed the flames away. A loud gasp came from the ranks of women, and Aurora wished she wouldn’t have to demonstrate her frost power either. For the women who lived in this humidity, frost would be a rare sight.

“Very well,” Heratrix said. “Follow me.”

Aurora watched as the petite woman turned around and walked towards one of the strange cabins. She glanced at the dumbfounded Aaron who was staring after the woman.

“I’m guessing she was talking about Shani?” she asked him.

His head snapped around to her, and he met her eyes. His eyes looked sad, and the lack of response told Aurora exactly what she needed to know. She took a deep inhale and started to walk after the high priestess.

“Wait…” Aaron’s voice made her stop.

She turned to him and cocked an eyebrow.

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

She shrugged. “I’m going to find out what your deceased wife had to do to pass these people.”

A/N: Please vote.