Chapter 28…One Last Chance
It had been three days since the battle that ended Kasem…and Michael. In all, 39 Yaksha and 115 Asura lost their lives. With both sides populations numbering less than 1,000, it was a noticeable blow. Neither side had lost so many in one day in over a thousand years. During those three days, much had happened. The world had slipped closer to WWIII. Chinese satellites had detected the massive destruction spell cast in the opening moments of the battle along with the Hou Yi arrow spell on radar. China accused the US of launching medium range ballistic missiles towards Chinese cities which apparently malfunctioned. One exploding its nuclear payload and another simply exploding. The US denied it of course and the UN Security Council stated that no radioactivity was detected in the region. The Asura used their influence in the Chinese government to bury the incident. However, they couldn’t stop the ultimatum that followed. The US must withdraw from North Korean soil within 48 hrs. or China will declare war. With North Korean nukes still around as most likely their government, the US refused to leave such a dangerous nation to its own devices especially after they nuked Seoul, an ally.
People raced to banks to withdraw all their money, grocery stores to stock food and water, petrol stations to fill up their cars. The older ones said they hadn’t seen such a thing since they were kids living through the Cuban Missile Crisis. Martial law, already in place due to the shrinking effect, was tightened even further. Society began to crumble under even more murder, rape, drinking, and rampant fucking. However, there was some good. Families estranged made up, people married like there was literal no tomorrow. As for those closer to home…
Kanya was beyond distraught finding out Mike had died. As only she was capable and closest to him, it was left to her to make arrangements. In the end, Kanya decided it would be best to take his body back home to Stamford Connecticut. Shrinking it down, he was buried under the rose bush right next to his mother. But that wasn’t the end to what she had to do. There was one final thing left to her by Michael. Once she told everyone what it was, Ora and Sora volunteered to do it in her place. Kanya said no as she knew the reason Mike chose her over everyone else. If someone was to kill Katie, it should be a friend. At first Kanya didn’t understand why she was chosen but thinking on it only someone with compassion and kindness to make sure a loved one would stop suffering could do it. Only a friend. This wasn’t murder, this was euthanasia. After all, would anyone want to live without a soul at the cost of taking a life every day? Nobody sane anyway. The hard part was Katie herself. Katie grieved so hard Kanya doubted she was missing a soul. Especially seeing how Katie refused to move from Mike’s grave. Kanya and probably Mike himself was set on killing her to release her from such a life but that was partly on the knowledge she had no soul. So, what about now? Ora, Alma, and Sora had stated before she had no soul and whatever mannerisms she had was pure instinct. But was grieving the loss of someone just instinct or was there more to it? They began to rethink the idea of her not having a soul, so they tested it out by connecting to her in the Astral Plane. And what they found was shocking.
Katie didn’t have a soul. She had the seed of a soul. Her interactions with Mike had created the beginnings of a soul. All souls start as seeds but to find one in a fully grown person was unheard of. Not even Kanya could kill her now regardless if it was his final request. But in the debate, nobody had bothered to ask Katie about what she wanted. Katie had been listening to the debate after their revelation. She walked right up to Kanya’s foot and tapped her big toenail. “Katie? What is it sweetie?” Kanya asked picking her up. Katie looked up at the giantess with tears coming from her eyes. “Please…please…” she begged. “Hungry? I’m sure we can donate some energy” Kanya said. Katie quickly shook her head. “Water? Real food?” Kanya asked. Katie shook her head violently and stomped her bare feet in her giant palm. “Please…please! PLEASE!” Katie yelled. Not knowing what she wanted, Kanya used her empathy magic to sense what it was. Kanya nearly dropped her as a wave of grief and sorrow swept over her. “Kanya!” Ora said steadying her. “She wants to die. She’s in so much pain” Kanya wept. “But she has a…”
“She doesn’t care! She doesn’t want to live by feeding off the life of others” Kanya said. It was bitterly clear what the decision was now. Kanya brought Katie close to her face. “We got off to a rocky start in the beginning, but I wouldn’t trade our time together for the world. Remember that time Mike had us both in a hot milk bath and he drank it with us still inside it? Or how about the time we played chess two vs. one? I was sore all next day. That giant pervert made any excuse to suck on our bodies. That…that big dummy. He…he really loved us. I love you Katie. Gimme a kiss please?” Kanya asked. Katie did kiss her as Kanya slipped her fingers behind Katie’s tiny head. As Katie pulled back smiling and crying, Kanya gripped her head and very, very quickly twisted it. With a tiny little snap, Katie was gone. “Kanya…” Ora muttered. Kanya held her hand out for her to be quiet. They watched in silence as Kanya dug a new grave with her bare hands and buried Katie next to Mike and his mother under the rose bush. Kanya sat there until nightfall and came back inside. She stood there in the middle of the living room before he let out a tortured sob and collapsed to the floor. Ora picked her up and carried her to Mike’s bedroom. An hour later Ora emerged.
“How is she?” Sora asked. Ora wiped he tears away. “I used a spell to sedate her. I fear for her sanity” Ora replied. Sora and Alma simply nodded. On the third day, Ora saw to Kanya on and off. Alma had to return to the homeland to make preparations in the event of the apocalypse. The entire world watched as the clock wound down to the deadline. Late that evening, the Empress herself appeared at Mike’s home. “We all thought you be back at the Palace readying like us” Sora said. “I was” the Empress said taking off her sandals and walking to the outside rose bush. She bowed her head in respect before coming back inside. She sat down. “30 minutes to go” she muttered looking at the clock which said 11:30 pm. "I bet the Palace is just guzzling up all that chaos energy now that Kanya’s spell wore off. “That is an understatement” she said. “Guess you’ll make out of this better than anyone” Ora said. “You think that? My royal retainer has a son in Los Angeles. My maid a daughter in Beijing. Myself? I like Netflix, Starbucks, Kentucky Fried Chicken. I like modern civilization. I have NO desire to see it go up in nuclear fire” she said. “And there’s nothing we can do to stop it” Ora said. “We could do what Kasem did, but this time shrink EVERY human. They can’t push the button if they’re four inches tall” the Empress said. They looked at her. “Kidding. I had to put it out there. But what if we went mainstream? Showed the entire world we exist. That would surely give them pause” the Empress said. “Every nation on the planet would want a Yaksha or Asura under their control if not all of them. Same outcome” Sora said. The Empress sighed. “Then there’s nothing we can do” she said.
“Of all your power, there’s not a single fucking spell to stop this?” Kanya said walking down the steps. “You’re awake” Ora said. “Can’t miss the beginning of the end. I mean who sleeps through the end of the world?” Kanya said. “If only I found that fucking Coin when his grandfather died. None of this would be happening” Ora said. “That’s it” Kanya said. “What’s it child?” Sora asked. “If Ora found the Coin. Problem was she didn’t know where it was in the house when Mike’s grandpa died. But what if she did? What if someone told her where it was? Time travel. There’s got to be a spell for that! Come on!” Kanya yelled. They all looked at one another. “Technically yes but it’s highly forbidden. Even more so than necromancy” Ora replied. “Fuck forbidden. We’re talking about the end of the world here. What could be worse than that?!” Kanya yelled. “The destruction of reality. Time spells are forbidden for a reason. Using one can create paradoxes that tear apart reality. The natural law of cause and effect would break down. Both sides agreed on this long ago for good reason after the nation of Samira incident” the Empress said. Samira? Where’s that?" Kanya asked. “Nowhere and that’s my point. Samira was a cautionary tale, and it was swallowed up by a tear in reality. Hundreds of thousands were lost” the Empress said. “Kanya. Two exact people existing at the same exact time causes a strain on reality. Adding a magic user to that would tear reality a new one. A Yaksha or Asura among this would potentially doom EVERYTHING” Ora said. “What about a human?” Kanya asked. “Far less dangerous but only one gifted in magic could make the transition without having their mind flayed by the stress” Sora replied. “So, a magic user can’t do it because it would mean two exact same magic users in the past right?” Kanya asked. They nodded. “Then send me” she said. “Didn’t you hear what I said? Two magic users in the past…”
“But in the past I wasn’t a magic user. I was still human. I’m the perfect candidate. The only candidate” Kanya said. “Technically she’s right. She only became a Yaksha after I awakened her two and a half months ago. Before that she was human with no real magic to speak of outside sensing auras” Ora said. “You can’t be serious” Sora said. They debated it until midnight. They turned on the tv and every station has the same breaking news. “CHINA DECLARES WAR ON THE UNITED STATES”. “It could begin any minute. Hell, it could’ve begun as we were arguing” Ora muttered. Sora quietly nodded. “It would take the combined efforts of the Viridian Sanctuary and the Ebon Palace to pull this off with the safest margin” the Empress said. “I’ll inform the Sages” Sora said. “And I’ll make preparations. Quickly, we’re on borrowed time as it is” the Empress said teleporting away.
Six hours later…
“I still can’t believe we’re doing this” Alma said. “Believe it. China invaded Taiwan a few hours ago and closing in on US forces in North Korea. We are down to the wire here” Sora said. “Honored Sage?” Alma asked looking at the Sage of Quintessence. She was in a curious almost manic state. “Anxiety across the world is at the tipping point. The day will end in fire” she muttered. “Come, you are needed” Alma said helping her to the center of the throne room. “This is it kiddo. Good…” Ora said hugging her before her voice broke. Kanya kissed her. “I will find you” Kanya said. Ora nodded and held her close as they took to the sky. Ora flew with her at tremendous speed using all she had to get her to the vantage point high at the edge of space. “Any moment now” Ora said telepathically as no air could carry her voice. “It’s so beautiful isn’t it?” Kanya asked. Ora sensed the magic energy coming from both sides towards them. “Yeah it is. Keep that way” Ora said letting go. Kanya was struck by positive life and negative chaos energy holding the same spell at the same time. Reality around her began to warp and suddenly Kanya felt like she was free falling. In a sense she was. She was free falling through time. Past, present, and future bled and warped around her assaulting her senses. If it wasn’t for her mind trained to use magic, her consciousness would’ve been shredded. Only her training to keep focus while she learned magics kept her sane. Even that began to wither though. She had to keep focused on her destination or something worse than insanity could occur. She could end up stranded beyond time. Just as she reached her limit, a bright light unveiled before her.
Ora was sipping tea waiting for her toenails to dry when a thunderclap shook her cabin. “Strange. The day was supposed to sunny” she thought as she looked outside to see the sky dark above her. Seconds later there was a boom that came from her driveway. Duck walking with cotton balls between her toes to her front door, she opened it to find a young woman lying in an impact crater. Ora quickly went to her and as soon as she touched her the young woman shrank to a few inches. Not knowing what to do other than be shocked, she carried the young woman into her cabin.
She saw homes and shops looted and on fire. She was with Ora somewhere as people around her cried and ran through the streets. Then an odd sound like a low-pitched whirl came from overhead. Kanya looked up to see a descending contrail then a horrible flash of light. A mushroom cloud ascended into the air as people screamed. A fiery wave of death came for her. She watched as Ora’s flesh was burned before her eyes. Kanya screamed and then nothing. “Whoa there!” Ora said sitting next to her. Kanya looked around and then to Ora. It had been just a vivid nightmare she realized. She was small and laying in the expansive bed inside Ora’s bedroom. “ORA!” Kanya cried hugging her giant finger tightly sobbing. “You know who I am?” Ora asked. The question caught Kanya by surprise. “Of course, I…oh. The date. What’s the date?” Kanya asked. “Tuesday” Ora replied. “The exact date!” Kanya yelled. “April 23, 2022” Ora replied confused. “Five months. It worked. It worked!” Kanya yelled. “What worked? Who are you?” Ora asked. Kanya looked up at the giantess. “My name’s Kanya and there’s a LOT I have to tell you” she replied.
Kanya told Ora everything that transpired. Mike inheriting the Coin, kidnapping Katie, her, other women, who was sealed within the Coin, and what occurred when Kasem was set free. At first, Ora didn’t believe any of it especially the part where she reconciled with her mother, but Kanya told her things Ora never told anyone else. Extremely painful things. “Why…why would I tell you that?” Ora asked. “Let’s just say our relationship was more than teacher and student” Kanya blushed. Ora was convinced Kanya was telling the whole truth now. The most important truth Kanya told however was the location of the Coin at that moment. Kanya led Ora right to it. Hidden in a shoebox in Mike’s grandfather’s attic was the Coin and various other damnable evidence. “He just recently passed. I couldn’t find the damn thing because a spell was cloaking it from me. If it wasn’t for you I’d never had found it” Ora said. “I know and there’s more” Kanya said. They spent two days cleaning out the house of any evidence of what Mike’s grandfather had done. They had time as Kanya knew Mike was still at Fort Lee in Virginia going through the discharge process before coming home. That would be April 31st.
The journal, the shrunken memorials behind the wall panel, the shrunken cars, videotapes, clothing, the shrunken corpse tangled in the spider web, even Mike’s mother’s grave was removed. Kanya didn’t like doing the last bit, but it raises too many questions if one day Mike pulled up the rose bush to find a four-inch human skeleton underneath. Once the job was done, Kanya looked over the living room one final time. “I’m sure we got everything” Ora said. “Except my memories. It wasn’t all bad here. And I…I miss them so much” Kanya said crying. Ora hugged her. You can’t interact with them here. It’s too dangerous to reality" Ora said. Kanya nodded as Ora led her out of the house and carefully locked it back. In time, Mike returned home and in this timeline never found the Coin, never shrunk Katie or Kanya, never kidnapped women or ate them. But also, never helped them either. It would be something that weighed on Kanya’s mind.
Two weeks later…
“I should not have let you talk me into this. Just being this close is dangerous. I’m going to get into trouble with the Sages…and mom if they find out” Ora said. “Hey, you’re back in their good graces thanks to me because you turned over the Coin to them. I won’t fuck it up for you I swear. I just need to see if he’s okay” Kanya said sipping her latte. Kanya and Ora were sitting outside at a patio table in front of a coffee shop watching Mike. “You love him that much?” Ora asked. “There were times I could see the traumatized little boy inside him. I wanted so much to fix that. In the end he gave his life to save all of us. I’m worried now that he’ll be all alone. He was so happy with Katie” Kanya whispered. Ora looked at him closer. “Some things happen if they’re meant to happen. It’s just the way of things” Ora said. A few minutes passed. Mike began to get up. “Let’s go” Ora said. Just as they got up, a young woman bumped into Mike spilling her iced coffee. “Well I’ll be damned” Kanya said recognizing the woman as Katie herself. Katie and Mike quickly apologized to one another, and Mike held her hand as he brought her back in to get another coffee. Kanya watched as both smiled and laughed at one another. Kanya smiled warmly and followed Ora to her car. They got in and Ora started it. “Oh! Turn it up! I like this song!” Kanya said. Ora turned up the music…
(Authors note: the song is Bones by Imagine Dragons)
“Gimme, gimme, gimme some time to think. I’m in the bathroom looking at me. Face in the mirror is all I need…ooh. Wait until the reaper takes my life. Never gonna get me out alive. I will live a thousand million lives…ooh. My patience is waiting. Is this entertaining? Our patience is waiting. Is this entertaining?”
Ora puts the car in gear and drives off…
“I got this feeling, yeah you know. Where I’m losing all control cause there’s magic in my bones. I got this feeling in my soul. Go ahead and throw your stones cause there’s magic in my bones…”
Their car is driving onto the highway…
“Playing with a stick of dynamite. There was never gray in black and white. There was never wrong till there was right…ooh oh. Feeling like a boulder hurtling. Seeing all the vultures circling. Burning in the flames I’m working in. Turning in a bed that’s darkening. My patience is waiting. Is this entertaining? Our patience is waiting. Is this entertaining?”
Pan upwards from the car…
“I got this feeling, yeah you know. Where I’m losing all control cause there’s magic in my bones. I got this feeling in my soul. Go ahead and throw your stones cause there’s magic in my bones…”
“Cause there’s magic in my bones…”
THE END
