Aeress

The roaring was deafening, vibrating the very walls that surrounded her. It was the accumulation of thousands of voices, all desperate to even just have a glimpse of the girl who claimed to be the mother of all werewolves. The sound cut to her very core, and all of the starkly different emotions which bled from their hearts soaked into her own.

Our children are here. Godhead's voice was never so frail before. They want us. We shall go to them.

Aeress breathed in and breathed out. First we have to prove our true identity.

And when they believe, we will be one.

I'm scared.

Fear is natural, fear is a thousand instincts telling you to run, to hide. But fear does not control who we are. Instead, it can allow us to find clarity, to find our own answers, to find our own courage. Now courage-that is true magic. And always remember that you have lots of it.

Aeress looked down at the light that came up from under the huge door. She was comforted by those wise words and she even felt her determination swell. Yes. You're right. You always are. You know, I believe in you more than anyone else in this world, and that is why even though I could piss my pants right now, I'm going to go out there and show them who Godhead truly is.

I never thought you would do anything less. I love you, Aeress. Everything is going to work out in the end.

Aeress felt tears prick her eyes. I love you too.

I'll be here every step of the way...

"Aeress?"

Aeress turned at the voice. The shadows were heavy in the room, but she could pick out his ceaseless figure anywhere. "Warrick." Without much thought, she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him in the tightest embrace. Her lips clashed against his. She soaked in his scent and warmth, and she finally felt complete.

She laid her head against his chest and kept her eyes shut. "You're here."

He didn't embrace her back, but did not step away either. "I am."

"I knew you would come. You just can't resist my charm, can you?" She smiled against his crisp, black dress shirt.

"It is my duty to oversee the trials. They will be fair, but they will be difficult. I must warn you... Expect anything and everything. You will become the most important woman in the world. Remember what is at stake and remember who you are. You will not fail."

Aeress looked up into those ocean eyes and wished she could just float away. "Will you be there at the finish line?"

His copper brows furrowed. There was a conflict in his eyes. A war waging. Finally he said in his gruff voice, "I've always been here Aeress. I will be until my last breath." He took a hold of her shoulders and pressed a fierce kiss to her lips that stole her breath. "I'll see you at the finish line." He disappeared into the darkness.

"I'll pretend I didn't see that," Klein's voice broke her concentration.

She laughed. "I thought you said you didn't have a girlfriend?" she responded with instead.

He knew immediately what she spoke of. Who she spoke of. "I didn't and I don't. I'll let you know when I find my mate. Maybe we focus on the now?"

She nodded along. "Where will you be?"

He crossed his arms and stepped closer. "I'll be the coach in the corner who yells at you while you throw punch after punch. Just remember your training... it's time now."

"Wish me luck?" she squeaked out.

The door in front of her began to roll up, revealing the bright lights and the boom of the crowd. She looked back at Klein in panic. The screeching of the rusty door wasn't helping much either. She was breathless.

He looked her straight in the eyes. "You're going to need a hell of a lot more than just luck..." her eyes widened with fright until he addressed her with a pure grin, "Godhead. Now go out there and kick some ass."

Aeress nodded and swallowed the sickness in her stomach. She turned toward the doorway and was startled by drums filling the air with heavy thudding. The crowd grew crazy, like they knew something she didn't.

"I might die," she whispered to Klein, "so would it be inappropriate to say 'see you on the other side'?" He shook his head at her as she stepped through the doorway.

A sensation came over her that was nearly inexplicable. She paused and looked all around her. Thousands of men and women-even children. Of so many different colors and cultures. All had come to see her tested. And all were watching her in that very moment.

Instead of the same deafening roar she had expected, they had all quieted. Her heart was pounding, similar to a race horse.

Above came a beautiful, heavenly blue light. This little detail straightened her back and persuaded her to move on. She kept on walking, with heavy steps that echoed to the stars. When she reached the position in front of the four guides, she stood proudly.

All four Guides came to a stance and announced in eery unison, "with the consent of both you and Premier, the beginning of the Candor Trials may commence. If you pass all five trials, you will be crowned Godhead, mother of all werewolves. Do you accept the challenge presented before you, and that you may not come out of it alive?"

Aeress felt her fear slowly begin to fade. "Yes." Yes.

The two men and two women then directed their gaze down below, right underneath them. Aeress had not noticed the throne positioned on the edge of the arena floor. And to the side of this glorious throne was another-yet created on a smaller scale. Warrick was not sitting on this chair but standing with as much pride as she had ever seen. "Do you, Premier, consent to the conduction of the Candor Trials on this day, before you people, before Godhead?"

He seemed so far away, but his gaze was piercing. "Yes."

"Then by the power invested by Godhead, we commence The Candor Trials!" This seemed to finally knock the audience from their stupor, and they erupted with screaming, crying, and cheering.

In response, Aeress watched as a shield of green light sliced through more than ten feet above her heat. The thin sheet of light separated Aeress from the rest of the dome. While she could physically see that they had gone haywire, down below there was quietude once more.

"This shield of protection is to ensure that no outside or unpermitted figures will enter or distract you from the trials. The shield will not be lifted until all five trials are complete... Or if you fail to do so." She looked at Warrick to see that while he was under the shield, he had his own little sphere of protection surrounding him.

"I understand."

"The rules are simple," Guide Alejandra explained, "any additional assistance is prohibited, including physical boosts of any kind considered irregular. If so, not only are you disqualified, but you will have to face capital punishment. You are only to rest or stop when instructed. You are to compete to the best of your ability, and to treat every trial as a matter of life and death, because it is. We will give you explicit instructions and nothing more once the trials begin. No hints. No help. Every move, we will study. Remember that once these trials begin, they do not stop until you have triumphed... Or perished. Any further questions?"

Aeress stretched her limbs and shook her head. "None."

The Guides nodded their heads in agreement. Guide Amal spoke up. "This first trial is what we would consider the easiest. It will test your knowledge of the ancient tongue of Godhead. In all ways you can think." Right after this was said, a huge glass box rose from the ground.

"Step inside."

Aeress had never been a fan of small spaces but walked forward anyway. The front popped open and she was hesitant but finally put herself in there. It was tall enough that she could stand, though it was very thin and hard to maneuver in.

She looked over and saw that the shield had lifted off of Warrick. He began to walk toward her. For a moment, she let everything fade away and just watched him as he approached the box. What a beautiful-and yes, infuriating-man. Each step demanded submission. His face was stone-cold, ready for anything.

She looked him straight in the eyes and didn't dare look anywhere else. She was held captive as much as she held him captive.

His calloused hands reached up and he began to unbutton his shirt. He said nothing but the fire was back in his eyes. She followed as another inch of his skin was revealed. The black ink obscured his pale skin, but could never hide the carved muscles of his body. She watched his chest and shoulders flex as he fully removed his shirt. Next were his shoes and socks, and then his pants.

He mirrored a statue and he presented his nearly naked body to her. Beautiful.

"On Premier's body, just as sported by those before him, is the scripture of Godhead. These particular texts have not been globally shared. In fact, the direct translation is only known by Premier. Your first task: speak in the tongue of Godhead as written on his body, not only this, but you must translate it into your own human, native tongue. In your case: English. Remember that while the tongue of Godhead can be read, it has never been spoken before. If you can do so in the allotted time, the first part of the first trial will be completed."

"How do I know the allotted time?" she muttered to herself.

In response, she looked down as cool liquid pooled at her feet. They were going to drown her. "Oh fuck!" she slammed her hands against the glass but it didn't budge. This made no sense, she should have easily broke through the glass.

Read or die.

Aeress closed her eyes for a moment. Okay.

She opened them to find a patient Warrick looking down at her. Her eyes skimmed down to where some of the writing began.

The water never stopped rising.

It all looked foreign!

Breathe. Focus. Now try again.

When she blinked a couple more times, she put a shaking hand against the glass and leaned in. Aeress gasped as a splitting headache hit her head. She couldn't believe that those words suddenly looked to be written in English.

Read.

She opened her mouth, reading what sounded like gibberish. She spoke in english. A lot of it was impossible understand. The way the words flowed to tell the tale of a little boy she did not recognize. Whose story was it?

His eyes widened. She didn't understand why.

Now translate.

Aeress was thoroughly confused. The water would reach her waist soon. I just spoke in English?

It sounds like English in your mind, but I have translated it all for you. You just spoke in my language.

Aeress was confused but understood that Godhead was the only one who could get her out of this. Okay. So now I speak in actual english!

Hurry, Aeress! We don't have much time!

"Okay! Okay!" She opened her mouth, reading in Godhead's tongue and then in her own. It all sounded the same to Aeress, but from the look on Warrick's face, he heard something completely different.

She had to crouch low to read on his legs, even having to duck her head under water. She came sputtering up, making sure he could hear her loud and clear. The water soaked in and dripped down her body, a constant reminder of her possible impending death.

By the time he turned around so that she could process the other side, the water was reaching her shoulders. Aeress was panicked and read with more haste. Her heart was about ready to burst. Her limbs were shaking from the amount of adrenaline pumping through them.

Finally, she got down to his calves and realized something... The texts were an uncanny description of Warrick. It was like Godhead was describing not only him, but his possible story-a time before Aeress. She had a feeling all of it was a part of his history, but his lack of emotional response left her unsure.

Aeress was gasping for air as she struggled to finish the rest of the reading and translating. The water continued to rise well above her head. She kept having to swim up to grab air. The water was freezing and crippling, but she pushed through it.

The last words were so short yet impactful: our fated.

When Aeress went up one more time, she realized the air had completely depleted. She slammed her fists against the glass and felt like she was being smothered.

Her lungs were tight with terror. She didn't want to drown.

Warrick was a blur. Everything in front of her confused her. She leaned in and using her fingers, she traced the words over and over again against the glass, praying he would understand what she was trying to communicate.

Her chest was on fire and she could have burst from the pressure if having not taken a breath in what felt like forever. Still, her fingers traced over and over again.

Finally, the bubbles burst from her mouth and she opened her lips to allow the water in. Her vision blackened and all movements of her body slackened until they froze.