Creation Dreamer: A Heroine Fantasy Adventure (Calpso Goddess Series: Book One 1) Read online

  It was true.

  My feet slammed into the ground. I crouched down to get my bearings. Another ledge, about half way down to the Village. The smoke enveloped me, but unfortunately, it was not thick enough to block out Aldon’s laughter.

  “If you jump off a cliff, you will either fly or land on your feet and keep going.” She sounded pleased with herself.

  “You fucking pushed me. What’s your problem?”

  She laughed more. “Guess you don’t fly. Now we get to work? So much we must discuss and no time to do it.” She held up the bird skull pendant. Bitch had ripped it off as she pushed me. She held my power in her hand, and ensured anyone looking for me could find me. And there was only one thing to do about that.

  “Oh, I am coming for you,” I yelled up to Aldon as she shifted out of sight. “You better run. You wait till I get my hands around your neck!” If that was even possible.

  “Maggie.” It was Rebekah. “They’re coming. Hurry.”

  “Fisher? Has Chama gotten to Fisher?”

  There was no answer.

  “Great, Chama. Now what am I supposed to do?” I called up into the winds. “Can anyone tell me what the fuck I am supposed to do?”

  The coyote song filled the air. Behind me. Above me. All around me. Like whispers hoping to torment me and it was close to working. Insanity seemed a real possibility. The wind herself grabbed me and spoke my name. Lightning hit the ground about 100 yards away and then 75 yards away. Closer with each bolt, my hair stood up.

  I yelled to the sky gods. “You want a damned savior? Well, it’s not me. I’m not hanging on a cross for anyone. You hear me?” I looked back down into the valley engulfed in fire. The red and the orange spreading as fast as the winds blew. I was going to die down there. I knew it. I felt it in my gut. And for an instant, like .053 seconds, I wanted to throw myself into the fire and be done.

  But I knew the truth. There was only one way to win. All the fucking talk of free will this and free will that. I didn’t have a gods-damn choice.

  “You want a Dreamer?” I whispered out to anyone who might be listening. Then I demanded the attention of the gods. “I said, you want a Dreamer? Fine! But don’t you let Fisher or my family or the Calys die. If I go to the other side and I do this thing, you have to promise me you will spare them.” I wanted an answer. I wanted a big sign. A signed contract. What had the Four Powers said about us? We pray to the Celestial, but do not see the Celestial. Well, standing there under the expansive darkness of yet another stormy sky and above the fiery smoke laden valley below, I felt the desperation of just how small I was. I was a little bit of nothing demanding a bargain with the gods. Maybe I didn’t see them, but I sure as shit felt them.

  “Do we have a deal?” A bold demand fell out of my mouth anyway.

  Everything went silent. Everything. Someone had stopped to listen.

  I was drawn back into the Cave of the Fallen Goddess with my fingers trickling over the stone etching as the wheel started to spin. First on the wall, and then it breathed into a 3D orb drifting around me—up and over and holding me inside. The other world—my world—faded away. I grabbed the ancestral crystal from my pouch and held it to my belly. A laser of light shot out, and we joined—her belly to my belly. Her strength pulsing in my veins. I was alive.

  Reverberations in my body gushed out of my mouth and into an unknown language, and from somewhere in the layers of existence, unknown voices echoed back. I was not alone. Without tricks, without the magic of water, I had in that moment connected to something beyond my own wisdom. I danced and stomped my feet in the orb’s energy as the power melded all the way through to my toes tickling the Earth and giving her a little tug. It was ecstasy.

  The Earth knew me. She knew I was alive, and for the first time since I was a fifteen-year-old kid, I knew she was still alive, too. Though I couldn’t imagine how after all we’d done to her. She was the Feminine confined to a life of neglect and torture and abuse. And still we demanded more.

  What will we create together, you and I?

  The thought was almost too much. I remembered the smell of Earth’s delights. Her perfume of fresh-cut grass on cool nights. The sweetness of spring rain after a long cold winter. The blooms of daffodils and roses and lilac trees. Rosemary and chives and lavender held on gentle breezes. The music of a river’s rush over stones.

  I was smashed open. “I am here!” I yelled out to my Earth Mother. “I’m not afraid. I will come to you. Show me the way.”

  There was abandonment in her silence, and then the silence was shattered by a catastrophic eruption below. The storm dropped a deluge of rain, making more smoke. It had all been a trick.

  I surged back up the mountainside with full warrior conviction—an internal roar.

  “Aldon? You shit. Where are you?”

  She was back on the log. “Waiting for your sorry self. Such a mistake.”

  “You took my fucking pendant! Give it back to me.”

  “Not yet.” She belched up at me and laughed. “You want to make a bargain with the gods? Okay then. Speak for the Book what you choose once and for all.”

  “I choose to awaken my full birthright.” I had no idea what that really meant. I just knew I wanted my power.

  The Earth raged and threw us both to the ground. Aldon leaned in close, poking her eyes straight at mine as her hand found its way to my shoulder.

  “You listen. This storm and the fires rolling in are the least of your troubles. The Earth—she is not happy in your choice. She wants you to quit! Her plan is so close and now we have disrupted it. Do you know who you are?” She smacked her forehead. “No. No! Can’t say.” She threw herself on the ground and moaned for a moment, grunting and sighing as she fought herself.

  Finally, she sat up and sighed. “There was a prophecy in the vision caves before the two-leggeds left the council fires. The two-leggeds opened the door to outside interference when they left. And then they declared themselves humans! Loners, greedy—out for themselves. Making us all pay for their personal delights. For their whims and entitlements. The Earth has paid the consequences for that day. But the Four Powers and the Seven Goddesses are merciful.” She raised her hands in the air. “They gave the promise of the double waning moons. When the double waning moons return, the magic of the Dream Lodge fire returns also.

  “See, all you have to do is this: welcome in your power and hold it. You don’t let anyone take this power from you. Not anyone, do you hear me? With it, you then light the Dream Lodge fire under the sky of the double waning moons, which will open the veil between that side of Alphazia and this side, Atlantis. Life must return to its intended form. Do you hear me? Connected. Very important.” She poked my forehead. “It must go back to the original Earth Kingdom design. And hell can go back to where it belongs. I have it on good authority, that if this does not happen, we are all lost.”

  “So, that’s it? That’s all I have to do?” I rolled my eyes and accidentally snorted.

  She slowly drew her face into my face. Her eyes beamed out intense light. Warm.

  “You are the rightful Dreamer.” She stopped herself again and looked up like someone was talking to her. “Yes, yes, fine. But she has to know the other thing. You can’t deny her that.”

  I looked around and saw no one. She cleared her voice and continued. “Now, hear me completely and let no one, I repeat: no one, know this thing. Once the power in you is awake, you will not just be the Creation Dreamer. You will be the mutation.”

  “A mutant?”

  “Child. You are the first of your kind. It is a deep and special magic you hold. And that is all I can say to you, even though,” she looked up and into nothing again, “I think you should have the rest of the story.”

  “Which is?”

  “Nothing.” Her voice cracked as she pulled her lips tight. “Okay, so you have your power and then everyone on that side will begin the Claiming Ritual. It is tradition.

  “Claiming? As in claim
me?”

  “Yes, you must be connected to another being in the Earthen world. So much power—so much energy. You must have an Alphazian being connect to you. To help ground you. To keep the energy from overtaking you. I don’t want to think what would happen if you wielded this energy alone. Of course, whoever you partner with will be your biggest asset and your deepest friend. Trust me. And they will want to join with you because your power will pulse in their veins. Euphoria! So choose well, Magpie Turnley.”

  The snotty, cackling, horrible coughing returned. And she moved from light to shadows. Lightning struck behind me. I saw the face of the coyote behind her in the fog.

  “The Alphazians will try to manipulate you, of course,” she continued. “Just like the Regys. You listen to me, Magpie. You mark my words. Your true destiny will rely on the one thing you come to hate the most. In love, we learn to hate. And in hate, we learn to love.”

  There was an explosion below.

  “They are coming! We must hurry.” Aldon was on her feet.

  “Who’s coming?”

  Aldon was already walking toward the falls.

  “Aldon?”

  “Just follow me. You know how you don’t like to ever look down? Well, don’t look back, either. Just keep your eyes on me.” Her little feet stayed in motion as we climbed up moss-covered stones moistened by the spray of the falls.

  “Aldon,” I tasted blood inside my mouth from clenching my teeth too tightly. “I’m scared.”

  She stopped and looked at me. “That’s why I believe in you. Use that fear. It’s what you push against. Let it take you to the bottom of the ocean so you can shoot up like a shining star.” For a moment, her inner child danced across her face. She laughed and spit and then lifted my shirt. “All healed up. Good.”

  Coyote barks came from all directions. There was a loud crack in the sky as more smoke drifted in.

  “Maggie, this way. Hurry.” Aldon pointed as we moved behind the falls and onto hidden stairs.

  “Where does this go?”

  “Just hurry.”

  Aldon’s feet fit with ease on the narrow carved stairs. Not so easy for me. She only glanced back long enough to wink at me. About fifty feet straight up there was a landing.

  “This is a good place to be for a moment.” Aldon paused, the sound of the falls created a false curtain of security. “The last thing I need to tell you is to find River Wolf. You will know him when you see him. He’ll help you.”

  There was a commotion. Voices.

  Aldon grabbed my face. “Now, we are going up a little further. The others are here. Don’t look. Just go. No matter what happens. No matter what you hear, don’t stop. I can open the path across only one more time. So don’t you hesitate. I am an old woman.” She laughed and gagged and coughed and spit. She squeezed my arm as we heard the coyotes. The ground rustling and the barks closer.

  “Where is Fisher? Do you know?” My lungs were stones.

  “He is looking for you. True. He will always look for you. There is always a price. I told you.”

  “But Chama—”

  The Earth shook again with a deep roar rising up and a loud cracking. The sound of trees falling, hitting the ground. There was rustling and barks and yips. The smell of burning timber.

  “You have to go.” Aldon had a new urgency. We began our march up the stairs again.

  “You’ve told me nothing about the other side.”

  “Been a long time. How can I know?” It felt like a brush off. “Blue Eagle should meet you. He will know you are coming.”

  We were at the top. Wisps of light whipped in and around Aldon, down her arms and into her hands. She whispered under her breath and opened her palms with precision, exposing my pendant. The beak of the bird skull shot out a laser-light of gold onto the rock wall.

  “Now, Maggie, it’s time. Four times say: I pray to journey to the Dream Lodge in Alphazia. Do it! I pray to journey to the Dream Lodge in Alphazia.”

  Loose rocks clacked on the molded steps below. Footsteps. Paw steps. Slow. Methodical. A low growling sound and more steps. Closer it came. I closed my eyes and heard the heartbeats. I felt the Fallen Goddess in the cave as my crystal vibrated.

  She is still there.

  I saw her glowing in a brilliant light of gold and the crystal belly awake and pouring all of her energy into my belly.

  “I’m ready.” I took a breath and closed my eyes.

  The coyote steps grew louder as I said the words, “I pray to journey to the Dream Lodge in Alphazia. I pray to journey to the Dream Lodge in Alphazia.” On the fourth repetition it happened. A stairway opened in through the rock face and into darkness. I couldn’t see the other side or what waited for me.

  “Faith, child.” Aldon’s voice, loving.

  The coyote snarled, its claws glistening in the golden lights. Sharp daggers. The full force of which landed on Aldon. Her scream pierced an innocence inside me.

  Hasn’t she paid enough?

  One paw to Aldon’s face and down her shoulder as she tried to move out of the coyote’s path.

  “No!” I screamed with no impact.

  The coyote wrapped her claws into Aldon's neck with one swift motion and threw her down the steps. I ran after them, blade in hand, and jumped the coyote from behind. She just laughed, slamming me back against the rock wall. My head snapped as I dropped down and the knife fell into the rock cracks. There was blood. Aldon was pinned as the coyote smacked her again.

  More eruptions from the Earth down below. I heard the march of an army coming. Their steps. No heartbeats.

  Coals!

  Aldon screamed. I knelt on the stones and searched through the cracks for my knife. Finally the steel blade was in my fingers.

  “You are mine.” I declared bolting toward them just as the coyote tensed her body to attack Aldon again. I closed my eyes and listened for her heartbeat. “I pray to put this blade straight into this coyote’s heart.” I saw it clearly in my mind. The blade through her fur and rib-cage and into her heart. I heard a screech. My hand wrapped in warmth. Aldon screamed out. The pressure on the knife eased, and I opened my eyes in time to see the coyote falling down off the molded steps and splashing into the water below.

  “Aldon?”

  “Go child. Go before the door closes. Leave me here.”

  The pounding footsteps of the Coals grew louder.

  “This is what I always wanted. Now go. My job is done.” Aldon pushed me back, handing me the pendant. There was an explosion. Boulders, stone breaking and then the crash of their fall. My feet hit the steps one after the other; the golden light was still there inviting me through. I paused and looked back at an army of Regys with Coals in the flanks.

  “Grab her!” someone yelled.

  “Maggie?” came a familiar cry from the crowd. My throat closed as I scoured each face looking for him.

  “Maggie!” It was Fisher. He was just below me. Bound and bloodied, those fuckers had put their hands on him.

  She said not to look.

  “Maggie—” Our eyes locked. The Coals pulled him back.

  “Fisher.”

  His eyes melted, glassy. The same eyes I saw at the ocean as we made love. The connection that only we could make. I imagined his arms around me and his lips touching my cheek as we wrapped up together as close as we could get. One person, one breath.

  “I love you.” I whispered, knowing he would hear me.

  And then the tenderness shifted into a nod as he smiled at me. And then a resolve. I dangled the bird skull pendant down toward him. It held protection magic. Maybe it could save him. He opened his hands as fire flared in every direction.

  “No, Maggie!” It was Aldon, climbing with urgency toward me. But my eyes did not leave my lover. Fisher was somehow so beautifully framed in the glow of the fires as I looked once more at the pendant.

  I could stay with you forever.

  A single tear rolled down my cheek as I took one last breath in my world. Fisher
reached up to me, as if he could, through sheer desire, pull himself up and into my arms. What I wouldn’t give for that to have been true. I closed my eyes with him imprinted inside me as I folded my fingers around the pendant and turned, stepping up through the rock. The last thing I heard was a coyote laughing and my heart shattering.

  And then silence.

  Where am I?

  Something pulled my wrist and snapped me to the ground.

  Part Two

  7

  Just Bite Me

  “Oh, good gods, what are you doing here? I mean, you shouldn’t be here at all,” came a voice. Male.

  “I—”

  “Boy, oh boy, oh boy. I can tell you this. I had better not get into any trouble over this. I mean, I am doing my time here and I have not had any issues. Not one. Until now.”

  “And who are you?” I interrupted the dribbling.

  He grabbed my wrist with his fingers.

  “Yup. Screwed. We are screwed.” He leaned down into my line of sight. “You have a pulse!”

  “Well, I would hope so.”

  “That means you are still alive. That is what I am trying to say.”

  “I think that’s a good thing?”

  “Not here. We have to get you out of here as fast as we can. Before they find you.” He started pacing, mumbling something under his breath.

  I stood up, mentally vanishing in the moment; it had all happened so fast. I was out of the smoke and the loud chaos of the Earth collapsing—but Fisher. The only way to save him was to let him die. Die without knowing my plan to dream him back to life. I had to believe it was fast—the smoke took him and the fire released him and there was no pain. I couldn’t live knowing there was pain in the end.

  “Are you listening to one word?” He asked, nose-to-nose with me.

  My hand wrapped into his ridiculous flowy-ruffley white shirt. “Back up,” I barked.

  This man had no way of knowing the shock in my body. The utter denial of all that just happened and the surreal truth of how life changed forever in a matter of seconds.