Callia's Redemption

She leads me down the street, weaving through the crowd. Several are trying to grab her attention, looking directly at me as they do. She ignores them as she picks up her pace. Suddenly she leaps, a gust of wind lifting us both up three stories. Mary lands on the platform with grace while I land in a big heap on the floor. I’m not used to jumping this high anymore.

“Come on silly.” Mary giggles as she pulls me to my feet.

“Where are we going?” I demand as we race through a stone room that is covered with blue. There is even blue fabric draped on the wall for decor. If I didn’t know better, I’d say this is a Water God’s room. They’re obsessed with blue.

The room opens up with hand painted pictures of water scenery. There are tables with fruit spread throughout the stone hall. Why do I feel something weird here? Mary leads us to a room with silver drapes, a red colored bed, and a fireplace that has a stuffed chair next to it. There is a bookcase lined with books and hand drawn pictures.

A man stands from the stuffed chair. He has red hair that is cut short. Very green eyes with wisps of silver surrounding it holds meaning in his pale face. Freckles decorate his face to try to add some color. “Mary-what…” He trails off as he looks at me.

“Jon, this is Callia. She seems to think you influenced her reanimation.” Mary says quickly as she pats my hand.

Jon goes stiff at the mention of my name. “Sit please.” He forces a smile on his face while he gets Mary and I two stuffed chairs. He sits down after I finally do. My body nearly audibly moans when it feels something soft underneath it. “So, how do you know Mary, Callia?”

Mary snorts. “She knows mostly everyone here. Callia visited here all the time. She also studied here for ten years, which is how we met. We met in school.”

He raises his eyebrow. “You went to school with God children?”

I shake my head. “Just one in this city, I’ve been to several. That was Mary. With my power levels the Elders didn’t feel I was developing my powers as high as I could. They took me here. Mary and her parents actually took me in and basically raised me.”

Mary nods. “Callia was orphaned at birth.”

I raise my eyebrow as he stiffens. “Or so I thought. Turns out history can reveal a lot. My mother is the one who was the sacrifice to revive me.” I study Jon so I can follow his reaction.

Mary chokes while Jon pales. “What?” she demands.

I have to bite the inside of my lip to stop my near smile. Jon does know something about my mother. I lean back and fold my arms. “Gstalt found my fathers’ blood too, for the reanimation spell, which means I was never orphaned, just abandoned.” I lean forward on my knees. “Why were you helping my mother?” I demand from Jon.

“Now Callia, you can’t know all of this.” Jon starts, twisting his hands.

Mary’s eyes narrow. “You were the only one that left the night before the sky turned lilac Jon. Now that I know it was her that was revived, I know you are the one behind this. You’re the only one strong enough to interfere with her destined location with that kind of spell.” Mary leans in now, catching a scent. “There is something you should know about Callia. She’s stronger than me and she can read reanimation circles. She knows all of the little clues those babies reveal.”

He looks at me, forcing his face blank. There is fear in his eyes though. “So?”

I grin, catching on. She’s trapping him. “The blood that was given was my father and mother, usually a must to perform this kind of spell. In a pinch a sibling will do, but no indication of that was shown. The blood is that of a Lava God and Water Demigod. My genetic lines belongs to two god lines, which is why my coloring and strength is rarely ever heard of. The Water Demigod had the same coloring of the life given for mine, which means it was a biological parent’s life that was offered for my own.”

“You can’t know that life was your mother.” He said quickly. “It could have been your father.”

I shake my head with a toying smile. “I found the location my reanimation was performed, by the markings inside the crater. I performed a reenactment spell at that location. I saw the whole thing. She killed herself by a draining spell. The purpose of doing this is so someone cannot harvest her magic from her blood. She had to have given it to someone that night, even though it’s temporary. I know she didn’t give it to Gstalt. I think it was to you, to help you change my trajectory.”

His face pales. “There was a really bad storm that night. It could have interfered.”

I nod. “True. However, I was the one falling remember? I remember feeling power. I remember suddenly being shifted. I saw the silver light of your power. You did it. Now why? And don’t tell me you don’t know her. That first room we entered was clearly designed for a Water Demigod.”

Jon’s face turns red as he grits his teeth. Mary and I lean closer, waiting for him to say something. “Fine.” He snaps, causing shock to hit us both. Jon looks at me as we lean back in our chairs. “I helped your mother. Morta has lived here for centuries.”

Mary gasps. “Morta is her mother?” She hisses. “Why did she leave her? She knew Callia was here. Everyone knows the name of the children in our care. So we can protect them.”

Jon holds up his hand to stop her. “Morta watched Callia from afar. She never told me Callia’s name, just that she liked to watch the little girl who played with Mary. She felt good things would come from you.

“To answer your question, years after Morta moved back in with me she started to open up to me. Eventually she told me that she had a daughter and that she was five. When I inquired more about you, she would shut me out. After one day, she finally told me why you were not with her.

“You see, back then Callia, Lava Gods and Water Gods could not be together. Not even the Gods progeny. Their powers and temperaments were so opposite that cities would be destroyed when they fought. Sometimes lives were even lost during just a simple spat. Their tempers would get away from them and they’d lose everything.

“Your mother and father were together for five decades before they had you. You were a…surprised miracle I guess is what you could call it. Your mother never told your father about you. Once she found out she was pregnant she ran from him, fearful of what the Elders would do to you. She fled far away from both god cities and tried to hide out in a rural farm area.

“Eventually the Water God Elders found out once you were born. The power radiating off of you was so deafening that it would have been impossible to keep you a secret from them. That kind of power brings a ripple through the air that even non magical folks can feel it. When the Water God Elders found out about you, they banished her from you. She was not allowed to raise you for her punishment. The Elders took you to an orphanage and forbade Morta from any form of contact with you. Her punishment was death and eternity in purgatory if she were to speak with you.”

I cock my head, “So because of some old folks I was raised as an abandoned orphan. How is that even fair to me?” I demand.

“You were allowed to live Callia. Most children of your breeding are killed once discovered. That is why there isn’t a lot of mixed breeding between the God races. Your heritage is truly a unique one.”

“That still isn’t right.” I glower as I sit back in the seat.

Jon nods. “I know, but your mother loved you. She followed you everywhere you would go. She couldn’t be in your life, but she refused to not have you in hers.”

I wave him off. “I don’t have time to think about this. Why did you interfere? Why were you helping my mother?”

Jon sighs as he sits back in his chair. “Morta came to me several months ago. She had heard rumors that Gstalt was looking for your birth parents. She hid here while she tried to figure out why he was doing that. Gstalt eventually found her and approached her. He told her that he wanted to perform a reanimation spell to bring you back. He would not tell her why until several weeks later, to get her to concede to sacrifice herself.

“Eventually he told her it was to break a spell you had placed before you died. She came to me a few weeks before the ceremony was to be placed. She knew Gstalt was up to something sadistic, but she couldn’t figure out what. She told me that she was going through with the ceremony no matter what I said so I had better say yes. Morta wanted to bring you back to life, but to keep you away from Gstalt, so our lives can have a second chance of freedom and safety.

“Morta asked me to interfere with the spell. To place so much wind and generate so much lightning that your point of revival would be changed. That you would land so far away from Gstalt that you’d have a chance of survival. Your mother firmly believes that you’re the only one who can destroy Gstalt. She did lend me her power. I was not expecting that. It was, however, the boost I needed to knock you slightly further off course to avoid Gstalt’s many traps he had placed as back up.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Why do you think Gstalt brought me back?”

Jon shakes his head. “I truly do not know. With you alive he can accomplish much. You have two God lines in your blood Callia. There is a lot of power that you can harvest from that bloodline. Your power is unique to others and does not seem limited to one specific element or spirit. Gstalt can gain a lot from your power. It simply could be to destroy the spell you placed on him right before your death. You must have a ton of power to accomplish this. It usually takes three gods to do what you did.”

I shrug. “There is a lot if I choose to exercise it.” It actually takes energy to bring out my full strength. I have yet to see the end of my power since I was still discovering how far it could go when I died. I’m impressed I had gotten that far.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Mary demands. “We would have helped you.”

Jon shakes his head. “I was sworn to secrecy Mary. I shouldn’t even be telling you now; but seeing Callia is her daughter and Morta is dead, I found reason to break it.”

I nod. “Now Gstalt knows who my father is, and I do not. Since my parents did have zero influence over my life there is not a strong tie between us, so at least he can’t easily use that. Though I’m curious who he is.” I look to Jon for the answer.

Jon huffs. “Your father’s name is Kioa. I do not know if he still does not know about you. I would not approach him unless you have to Callia. Since Gstalt knows him, I advise you to stay away. It might be a trap.”

I shrug as I stand, my plan starting to hit me. “I’ll be going there either way. If I’m to complete what I need, I need a sample of all four elements. Given to me by the Gods that control them.”

“Ooh! Let me.” Mary springs up onto her feet.

I shake my head. “Sorry Mary, it has to be from the elder that guides it.”

“What are you performing?” Jon demands. “I will not give that to you. Those are very sacred.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Ever heard of a little non-compliant draining spell? If all elements from this earth are gathered and put together, I can rid this world of Gstalt’s magic. This spell will block any form of spells to bring his power back. My original plan was to drain Gstalt of his powers and have him spend the rest of his life in jail; or kill him, whichever happened at the time. With Gstalt’s power and what seems like endless back-ups, it’ll be easier to have all four elements so I can kill him without needing anyone there to keep him distracted.” This way, I’m less likely to die from the other person’s failure is what I’m trying to say.

He raises his eyebrow. “You failed last time.”

Well that stung. “Because my partner failed me. I still had enough magic to keep going.”

Jon shakes his head. “Callia, I can’t. We can’t risk these falling into Gstalt’s hands. The Wind Gods will not risk our safety. We will not help in this fight.”

“But you’ll risk him ruling the world for eternity?” I snap. I hold my hand up. “If that’s the way you feel about it fine. You fight him without my help then. You may be too blind to see it, but there will be a fight, and your race will die.” I turn and walk out of the room. I have had it. I do not want to do this anymore. I’m going to go far away, and they can handle Gstalt how they want.

“Callia, wait.” Mary shouts as she catches up to me. “Why are you so angry? Why won’t you fight?”

I ball my fists. “I fought Gstalt before Mary. I know which ways to defeat him. I only had three elements last time, because the Wind God Elder back then refused to give it to me. Lee failed and I died. I spent a century in purgatory for that Mary. I have relived that day more times than I can count. I would have won had Lee not failed. I will not risk going back to purgatory because others are not willing to fight again. If they’re unhappy they can fix it themselves.”

Mary grabs my arm and turns me around. “Callia, you are the one that has to fight this. You’re the strongest person in this world. The only people stronger than you are spirits and they’re bound not to interfere in mortal affairs. This world doesn’t stand a chance without you. Why do you think Gstalt is still around a hundred years after your death?”

“It means very little that I’m as strong as I am. We’re both aware how unpredictable dark magic is Mary. It takes twice as much energy to drain even an ounce of it. I need help. I need those stones to effectively drain Gstalt and not kill myself.” I shake my head. “I will not do this fight again, without the full support of everyone linked to those stones. I will not die again for other people’s cowardness.”

“No one is asking you to Callia.” Mary lowers her voice as people try to listen.

“Jon said that your city will not fight. To me that is as low as you can go on the bravery scale.” I fold my arms. “I’m not sticking my neck out for people who aren’t willing to fight for themselves Mary. Now I need to leave before word of my arrival has spread.” I take a step back. “A century of purgatory is what I faced, and I’m still braver than you.” Mary drops her head in shame as I turn on my heel to leave.