Chapter 194

Chapter 194
Damian

Damian began to search the area for dangers the minute they landed on solid ground again. He was already prepared for whatever Mara would throw at him. He wasn’t disappointed. Five shadow warriors were set for an ambush. Damian almost laughed as he and the Kindred took them down in seconds.

Once he had neutralized the threats, Damian surveyed the area. From his best guess there were in the land of the Frost dragons. It was definitely a valley nestled down in a ring of mountains. The houses were simple with oversized doors that would accommodate a normal dragon. Carved into the rock face of one of the mountains was a replica of the front of David’s castle.

Stormy pointed to the mountain beneath the castle. She started to walk towards it and Damian rushed to her side. He slid his arm around her protectively. The rest of the mates joined them as they mentally prepared for the fight ahead.

Damian had no doubt that wherever Mara had fled to had to be a stronghold. She was wounded and would be looking for an advantage. He knew that whatever they faced would not be an easy challenge. The Frost queen had been in power much too long to make foolish decisions. Whatever her plan, it would be calculated.

As they got closer to the rock face, Damian wondered where they were going. Its terrain looked like the side of a typical mountain. He began to closely inspect the rocks for secret passages or other signs of disturbances. He found nothing.

Stormy walked up to the rocks and held out her hand. It passed through the barrier and her hand disappeared. Damian quickly realized that the rocks were actually an illusion. Stormy led them through the invisible barrier and he found himself standing in the mouth of a large cave. The lighting was dim and it took a while for his eyes to adjust.

“Where are we?” He asked her.

Stormy glanced around with a look of horror on her face. He expression put Damian even further on edge. Stormy acted almost as if she didn’t want to answer. He wondered if she didn’t know, or if she was in disbelief herself.

This is the Well of Souls. It is the origin of all life cycles. At the time of conception, life flows from the well, and at death it returns. Stormy explained with sharp gestures.

“I have read a few passages about it, but I thought it was a myth.” David said as he looked around. Damian could see him drinking it all in. He could almost see David itching to write out the details in his leather-bound journal that had been left in the castle.

It was forgotten. I created it many years ago to help keep balance to the flow of life. But it was erased from memory. Stormy said.

“Why would Mara hide here?” Dean asked.

The well can heal her. Stormy gestured as she led them down into the bowels of the cavern.
No one spoke as they passed through a tunnel that would have barely been large enough for David’s dragon form. It was dark and Damian could hear small drops of water running down the walls. He felt as if they were almost walking in a circle as the path slanted downward more and more.

Damian felt the crackle of magic as they reached the bottom of the tunnel. It felt almost like he walked through a spider web that was full of static electricity. He guessed that they had just passed through some kind of magical boundary. He was both excited and terrified to learn what was being protected behind it.

The cave opened into a large cavern that was glowing blue. Rivers of luminescent water seemed to be flowing out of a central hole in the cave floor. Damian realized this was likely what Stormy had meant by the Well of Souls. In the center of the Well, there was a large purple egg. It was at least six feet tall and surrounded by dark magic.

Stormy approached the egg carefully. She held her hand out to it as if she was trying to get a sense of it, as she walked in a complete circle around it. She chewed her lip and tears began to slip down her cheeks.

“What is it?” David asked as he approached the egg cautiously.

It’s Mara’s child. The egg is a vessel. She is trying to create life. Stormy signed with a frown. She shook her head sorrowfully.

“Can she do that?” Damian asked sheepishly. He was under the impression that Mara was the goddess of death and destruction. Stormy was the twin that had the power of life and creation.

No, she can’t. I believe that’s why she brought the egg here. She is using the Well of Souls to nourish it. I believe it’s the reason the birthrate of super naturals has dropped. She is diverting the children’s energy into the egg. Stormy motioned with a pained expression.

“Can you tell if it was working? Has she possibly creating others in this way?” David asked.

Stormy shook her head. The egg has been here for many years. Since the time of the great Queen Divina. New Life can’t come from death. Death can only clear the way for new life. Stormy signed.

“Why would she do this?” Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

I think she was lonely. She is the only one of her kind. Much like Dylan was. Stormy gestured as she bit her lip, deep in thought.

“Is the Well of Souls how she made the shadow warriors?” David asked as he wondered around the room.

Damian couldn’t help but smile. Less than an hour ago David had been on his death bed. NoeW he was back to trying investigating the secrets of the universe. Only David would have considered how the enemy was created when the rest of the Kindred was busy focusing on how to get rid of them.