Page 9 of Shadows of Air and Earth (Remnant Archives)

T he general laughed and I stared at the vision she made.

Shadows of darkness swirled, her eyes glittered with the pure smile that lit them from within, and the sound of her voice was a sweet twilight symphony.

An air fae could hear the song of the soul when a fae laughed and Remnant Dark’s was the purest one I had ever heard.

It spoke of kindred spirits, of fate intertwining, and somehow—it melted my fear of her.

All I saw here and now, was a young fae battling giants alone and it tugged at my heart. The strange urge I had last night called to me again telling me that I could trust this fae with every dark secret, show her every hidden scar, and place my life in her hands to keep safe forever.

It was different than the soul-crushing need and heart-seizing ache Xi stirred within me.

When her laughter trailed off a smirk stayed on her lips, her lethal fingers tapping gently on the delicate teacup. "Desperate? Perhaps I am but it is not for the reasons you are thinking."

I narrowed my eyes on her and crossed my arms over my chest. "I doubt even you know what I am thinking, General Dark." But there was still that small reluctant thought, that doubt that perhaps she could read everything in my soul.

She arched her brow, humming, "Maybe when this is all over you can determine that for yourself."

I stiffened. What the ever living fae fuck did that mean?

Leaning back against the booth, Remnant Dark’s keen stare watched us both, the shadows settling in her lap in crumbling layers, a blanket of darkness. Timid like a kitten, it was an illusion of their monstrous abilities.

Xi shifted uncomfortably next to me and so did I.

There was something wholly unhinged about her lethal shadows acting like a tenderhearted pet.

I glanced towards Xi, her one uncovered eye already regarding me.

One look, a thousand words. This was how it had always been between us and I knew her answer, just like I had known mine.

My mouth opened to give it to the waiting general but a sharp cry stopped me short and in a flash of shadow the general was gone, leaving behind an empty seat.

More screams joined the first and I realized that they were screams of terror, coming from outside.

Xi and I stood immediately with alarm. "Great," she spat, "of course something would happen now. Six months, six months of nothing, not a single sign of unrest and now the moment she comes here…”

Grabbing her arm I pulled her along with me, our strides falling harmoniously together, an easy feat as we were equals in height. "You hate everything you're not prepared for Xi, let’s check out what all the commotion is."

"I'll tell you what it is, Riley Dragoon," she said, flinging her free hand wildly as we stepped through the doorway. "It's fucking trouble and now is our chance to make a goddess damn break for it. Instead we are heading straight into the thick of it!"

Ignoring her, I stepped into the quaint street lined with white flowers and soft moss. Blinking against the bright sun, I grabbed a gentle earth fae rushing by me amongst a sea of others, her face full of terror, her body shaking. "Juni, what is it?"

Wild light green eyes, so pale they were almost white darted back behind me.

"They have come! The queen's forces have come to Croi!

They have already started burning down the town.

" She tugged on her arm and I released her quickly, seeing the utter fear behind her eyes.

"Please, I must go!" With a flourish of silk finery she twirled away from me without even awaiting my response.

"Why the fuck is no one trying to stop them?

" I growled low, turning to see smoke in the cobalt skies of Faerie, my teeth grinding at the sight.

The air stirred and I used it to thrust a path through the terrified mob, setting a running pace down the moss lined street with Xi keeping pace easily at my side.

"You know why Riley. They are terrified with what happened last time a town resisted,” she hissed as we ran. “They are still hanging on the city walls."

I grunted, the image of their lifeless bodies still clear in my mind. "We are fucking elementals. We are what make this world balanced."

Xi yanked her hair over her face, her other arm swinging with her long running stride. " They are elementals too Ri…the most powerful ones, recruited by Her Majesty and…"

I gave her a sharp look, pushing our speed. "You think Remnant Dark brought them here."

She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing at the thickened smoke. "Part of me does or wants to. It's hard to believe she is not as evil as that bitch and yet, I don't think she is the true evil in this world Ri, I think…I think she is the invisible shield holding it back.”

I gave her another keen glance, not expecting Xi to see past her loathing and fear. She was usually a stubborn fae, like the earth, and I loved her for it but perhaps Remnant Dark was the catalyst she needed to pull something out of her I never could.

Peace.

“Shit,” she huffed when the flames appeared, several buildings on fire, ash falling like black snow around us. I sensed that there were no other fae here, all had fled.

All except for one.

In front of us, a lone shadow fae stood against a tremendous wall of flames that spanned several streets of our little town, incinerating the buildings in its wake with violent, swirling fire. This wasn’t just an attack to keep the elemental fae of the plains in line. It was a fucking cleansing.

"They have firestone," Xi breathed as we slowed our pace, walking towards the general who was staring at the wall of flames with trepidation on her smooth porcelain face.

The heat from the fire alone was almost intolerable from here.

How the general, whose shadows despised any light, was standing mere feet from it was simply astonishing.

My hand brushed against Xi’s as we approached, my breathing slightly labored and coming out in a rush, "You must leave, if you go now, they will never know you were here."

She shook her head, "I can sense them beyond the wall, their power combined with the firestone…it's too dangerous. It’s unmatched. Besides, it's too late to turn back now.”

Dropping my hand away from her I fisted it at my side, the air swirling agitatedly around my arms. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” I whispered only for her ears.

Sensing us, Remnant Dark looked over her shoulder, her tied back hair blowing wildly in the wind.

"Welcome to the fun! Let us get this over with shall we?

" Green eyes sparkled while the wall of flames intensified behind her, stretching far into the sky, staining it with smoke and ash.

Turning back around, she shifted her stance, widening her legs and raising her arms. "Time to play, my loves," she cooed.

I watched with a mixture of awe and absolute raw fear when the darkness gathered around her, as if it rose from the very bowels of the underworlds of Sheol. Thick, black, rushing shadows whorling higher and higher, not at all hesitant or fearful of the flames licking at their tendrils.

"Be prepared. The shadows will smother these flames but that does not mean what is on the other side isn't equally as dangerous." She glanced back at Xi, "Especially for you."

Xi stiffened beside me and I used my power to caress her bare skin just above the gauntlets she wore. Rock was such an unforgiving element, her manipulation of the stubborn earth often left its mark on her skin, gauntlets deterred this to a degree.

"I'm ready," she said, her voice hard.

The shadow fae assessed her with one last lingering look before nodding, "Yes I think you are.

" Turning back to the massive wall of shadow that spread up before her like night descending on the town, she smirked.

“They always think fire is my weakness. A foolish notion, the darkness is infinite, it has no weaknesses.”

"Sweet goddess," Xi breathed as the shadows rose even higher than the flames, blocking out its light and heat, pausing just moments to take a sharp inhale before crashing down in undulating waves. Its power smothering the flames, and extinguishing the fire that had set the buildings ablaze.

"Fucking Sheol," I breathed, the shadows hissing as they fell, spilling outwards like a goddess damn flood, pooling around the full score of barricading elementals that lined the width of the street.

I smirked at their best efforts to appear unafraid especially when the darkness lapped at their feet.

Only three were not. In fact, they did not even appear the least bit affected. Two I recognized from the tales that Xi had told me. One male, one female, both with pure white hair, stared back. Their presence sinister and cold—heartless.

The third did not stand, instead he sat perched on a beautiful painted mare, colors of auburn, white, and grey, making up the horse’s coat.

I narrowed my eyes, nothing about this creature was native to Faerie.

It did not even come close to resembling the leathered equine beings with sharp black horns we called nightmares or the grotesque skinless colts of the nuckelavee.

Not even the unicorns with their glossy coats and colorful manes came close to this magnificent looking creature, which could only mean one thing.

This horse was a shifter.

A thick, gold collar caught my attention, and I felt my stomach knot with horrific dread, recognizing the tainted power swirling within the adornment and even worse, the fae sitting upon the shifter’s beast. Hazel eyes met mine and it was like looking in a mirror.

Dark green hair slicked back from a hard-cut face where lips curled in a satisfied smirk.

"I must say," he drolled in his most charming tone while he sat atop the beast like a goddess damn prat. "I hadn't expected a family reunion."

Bile rose and hatred burned, my air swirled violently around me and I was unable to stop myself from stepping alongside the General.

If this was what Remnant Dark was fighting against, then I was with her.

This bastard belonged in the deepest grave possible— alive.

Only to give him some semblance of hope that he could survive before I sucked every bit of air from his lungs while he clawed through the earth like the pathetic worm he was.

"Uncle," I hissed.

Dismounting, he laughed at my rage. Flourishing a whip looped at his side, he snapped it against the mare’s neck where it latched onto the golden collar, making the beast prance before a bright flash blinded us all.

Dressed in soft scarves, the shifter appeared with most of her golden skin on display, long strawberry blonde hair fell down her body to supply some modesty while big, light brown eyes beseeched me to help her.

I could not control the rapid increase of my breath, nor the way my entire body froze, gripped by memories I thought I had overcome. Her eyes, that hair…it was the exact same as my mother’s.

Wincing, her sharp cry unfroze my blood and disgust burned in the back of my throat at the cruel way my uncle tugged her by the collar, slamming her into his side possessively.

Pawing at her, he smashed her breast into his chest and groped her ass in front of us, his eyes gleaming ruthlessly only at me, knowing I had made the connection between the shifter and my own mother.

"Just like old times, right nephew?" Eyes dancing with mirth, his hand slid up her curvy form to stroke over her hair like a fucking pet, provoking me.

But I was no faeling who attacked out of emotion, not anymore.

Fisting my hands, I breathed deep, holding my ground as he continued his grating monologue.

"I'd give you some loving uncle advice, since we share the same power, and tell you that your decision here today will either keep your head on your shoulders or send it sprawling on the ground so that you may join your parents.

But then again, I do love the idea of your head on a pike in front of the city walls. "

Xi’s soft inhale was the only indication of her shock and I could not bring myself to look at her. My darkest secret now exposed…would she ever understand what I had done after keeping it from her for so long?

The air already stirring violently around me whispered its lethal torrent.

I wanted to pull it from his lungs and watch him gasp—suffocating on the very element that would betray him.

Except his power was equal to that of my own.

It had always been that way…unless our secondary power was used.

A tainted monstrous trait, common in our family line.

A power that could possess a living being, harnessing their energy to be used by their master, and enhance their skills.

One he was currently using on the shifter female he was assaulting right in front of us, unashamed of his vulgar acts.

I hadn't realized I moved until shadows anchored my feet to the ground. I did not need to look down to know they were there, not restraining, but calmly embracing. Their master’s hand firmly gripped my shoulder, a touch that was strong and supportive. A slight squeeze that said I’m here for you.

“A fight for another day, Dragoon,” Remnant Dark’s voice was barely audible but I could hear her all the same.

Then she tsked loudly for all to hear, "Now now, Commander Rory Dragoon.

There will be no heads on pikes this day unless it's you who is volunteering yours.

" She smiled sweetly, signaling to the shadows that licked up his body, and my lips twitched.

For the briefest of moments…I saw fear in my uncle’s eyes. Something I thought I’d never see.

If I hadn't already decided to join Remnant Ezra Solaire Dark on this quest, then I sure as fucking goddess would have now, just for that moment alone.

I looked back at the shadow fae encased in a halo of darkness, like a deadly savior that dealt justice outside the normal rules of the fae. She had stepped off the game board, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and I was here for it.