One soul short

[Cori Viera]

"Hello?"

Cori wandered through the darkness, completely lost. He peered off into the distance in several directions but all he saw was the darkness; it stretched on forever. Slowly and cautiously he began to walk, feeling the air in front of him for obstacles. He didn't want to faceplant into a pole or a wall or something!

It was a frightening situation that he'd been thrust into but strangely, Cori didn't feel scared. Normally he was a big old ball of nerves unless Lieve was around to keep him calm. Here he was alone, surrounded by darkness, and... nothing. If anything he was curious. Where was he? Which realm was this? Was this a dream of some kind?

The last thing he remembered was helping Brayden Smith. He touched his wrist and then... poof! He ended up here! Cori was pretty sure that wasn't supposed to happen... (Duh!) But he also didn't know that for sure because it felt like the second he activated his abilities, envisioning Brayden Smith coming back to life, someone pulled him here. Someone had been waiting for him maybe, or waiting for this moment.

He kept walking slowly and cautiously and eventually a tiny pinprick of light showed off to his left. In the darkness, it was very noticeable so he headed for it. Each step brought him closer and the light grew brighter until he came upon two small figures off in the distance, which turned out to be... "Two?!" Cori gasped in shock. They both turned to him but only one seemed shocked. The other one immediately held out his hand to Cori in a welcoming gesture.

"Hi...?" Cori approached. He took the one Brayden's hand and was drawn into a warm hug, while the other one continued to look stunned. "Um. I'm Cori. I—they said they needed somebody to help bring back... you?" But which one?! Was this a good Brayden, bad Brayden situation and he had to make sure he chose the right one? Both of them seemed nice though!

"Hello Cori," said the one hugging him. He pulled back and led Cori over to a large throne and drew him down to sit, while the other Brayden perched on the broad armrest on the other side. "I'm Brayden. And this is..." He laughed softly. "This is also Brayden. He's the one who needs to go back with you."

"You can call me Bee," said the other one gently but he had an anxious look on his face. "Is everyone okay? Jack?"

"Everybody seems okay. And Jack—oh he's umm." He wasn't doing so hot... but Cori didn't want to make Bee worry. Cori wasn't the lying type but Bee seemed to know without being told. His eyes grew a little misty and he quickly turned away. Out of politeness, Cori didn't stare but his heart throbbed sympathetically.

"Are you a soul weaver?" Brayden lightly touched his hand to draw his attention.

Cori shrugged. "I'm not sure. My mom's a celestial but she never told me she was one and then she got kidnapped so... I don't know what she was. And my dad... Rip told me he's the King of the Fallen. Oh Rip's my friend... He knows a lot about this stuff and I trust him." He felt that he needed to stand up for Rip pre-emptively since so many people didn't seem to like him. Even Lieve, who was normally so friendly and cool with all kinds of different folks, didn't trust him but Cori did. Rip was his brother!

Brayden seemed disappointed. He passed a gentle hand over Cori's hair but now he, too, looked terribly sad. "So not a full-fledged soul weaver then," he sighed.

Cori felt the sting of disappointing him acutely but at the same time he had no idea what he was doing—outside or here. "I-I can still try though, right?" He leaned forward, eager to help but so clueless. "I mean everybody says I have a ton of power and Lieve's been training me to use them! Can't I try it?"

Brayden's hand stilled; he looked at first pensive, and then conflicted. "You can try," he said slowly, as though very carefully choosing his words, "but you don't have enough power to bring Bee back into his body because you are part Fallen. The only way you might conceivably succeed is if..." He stopped altogether and appeared reluctant to finish his thought.

Meanwhile, Cori was hanging on to his every word. "What? How? How can I do it? I'll do anything Brayden!"

"...you need to bridge the land of the living and the land of the dead. With another soul."

"What? Where would I—" Cori trailed off, eyes wide. "There's no other way?"

"No, I'm afraid not. It's a miracle you managed to get here, but you only have enough power to bring yourself in and out. You'd need the power of another one to take Bee back with you..."

"What kind of soul—"

"No." Bee spoke up so firmly that Cori felt almost chastised. "No I can't ask anyone else to do that."

Brayden didn't say anything; he looked down into his lap, still so sad, so conflicted. Cori felt a sudden desire to... to move around so he leapt to his feet and began pacing. That was horrible! To have to ask someone to give up their soul so that Bee could come back with him... Who would do it?

"What'll happen to them if I take their soul? Will they get stuck here?" He turned back to the throne, frowning, fretful.

"Yes. Or they may move on. It depends on the person and where they are, what stage of growth their souls have achieved. But I... have to agree with Bee. It's too much of a sacrifice."

Cori began pacing again, up and down, left to right. "Can't we—" he began, but cut himself off. Whatever ideas he had, they were all pretty bad. Taking anyone's soul was bad. "What if I find another soul weaver? Like a full one? Then they could do this right? Right Brayden? Bee?"

They looked at each other and exchanged some kind of gentle, resigned smile. "Yes," Brayden sighed, but he didn't look all that hopeful. "Yes if you can find one in time... Yes, it's possible to save Bee."

"What about you Brayden?" Cori returned to the throne and sat back down beside him. He felt a kind of strange connection with Brayden. Bee was nice, but he was a stranger; Brayden on the other hand felt very familiar to him, in a very strange way. Latching onto Brayden's hand, he squeezed it. "Are you gonna get out too?"

Brayden squeezed his hand back and there was a fond look in his eyes. "No, darling. I'm tethered to this realm. If I leave, the entire realm will collapse and... that can never happen. But don't worry—" he added hastily, seeing Cori beginning to rise again in his agitated state, "—once Bee gets out, he knows how to free me. Right Bee?"

"Right. We've been training here and planning for when I get back."

Cori nodded slowly but his heart felt heavy. "And what if..." He hated voicing the thought but it seemed to need to be said aloud. "What if I don't find somebody in time? What happens to both of you?"

There was a long silence. Brayden's voice sounded as heavy as Cori's heart. "Then I wait for the next cycle... And Bee..." The way he trailed off made Cori feel ultra jumpy and unhappy and just... upset. He was very, very upset.

"I'll be okay. Either way. I know you'll do your best, Cori, but don't... don't feel like it's your fault if you can't find someone in time." Bee leaned over to touch his hair too, a brotherly, genuinely comforting touch. Cori's heart lurched in his chest. "I'm sorry we have to put this on you. Whatever happens, please, don't blame yourself. Please. Brayden and I will be okay, whatever the outcome."

Cori leapt up again. "I'll go back and look right now! I'll find a way!" He felt an ugly frantic desperation inside to help them. He had to help them! Look at them! They were so... sad. And so nice, and Jack was counting on him—he couldn't let down his own brother!

"Tell Jack I'll meet him in his dreams," Bee said with a small smile. "And thank you, Cori. Thank you." He stood up and embraced Cori, and Brayden did the same. Then they faded and the darkness claimed Cori's vision again.