Aria's Ascent

a father's sacrifice

“This one is mine,” it screeched in a deep voice, pointing to Aria, its black eyes fixed on me as I stood in the doorway, my sword drawn. It reminded me of a scarecrow, but a burly, overweight one with a face wrapped in a shabby brown burlap. Where its eyes should’ve been were empty voids the size of apples singed into the burlap itself, its mouth the same but twice as large. If I didn’t know what it was, I might’ve found it comical, but I knew it all too well. It was the Reaver, the taker of souls. Different from Death, the Reaver claimed the souls of the living, bending them to its twisted desires. 

Aria was my only daughter and I would not cede her to it. Not today, not ever. Its eyes were empty, devoid of emotion, as I took a small step forward. Perhaps I could circle it, pick up my daughter and flee before it claimed her, but as I stepped forward it became clear that was not an option. It bellowed out a great echoing sound that reverberated through the room, knocking me to my knees and sending things flying off the shelves rattling to the floor.

“This one is mine,” it said, repeating its earlier words.

I stood tall, brandishing my sword, Shard, as its magic crackled to life, bolstering my confidence as I spoke. “You cannot have her. She is my daughter and is protected by me–the Descendant. Now leave this place and I will forgive your transgression.” At that moment, I didn’t know if my power exceeded that of the Reaver, but it had come to my home, to my place of power, and I wouldn’t stand for it. 

It let out another loud screech knocking down the wall behind me, but this time, prepared, Shard hummed to life, absorbing the energy from the Reaver’s magic and leaving me untouched.

Growing confident, I smiled. “Your magic doesn’t work against me here. You shouldn’t have come. It was foolish, unless perhaps you seek your destruction.” Circling to the side, I held Shard between us menacingly clear that I had the upper hand. 

It shook in anger. “She is mine,” it said, not moving from its place by Aria’s bedside

“She is not yours and never will be.”

“You are mortal. Not even the Descendant can live forever. Your day will come and my brother, Death, will call upon you, Dane. It is then I will come for her. She is mine. If not today, then later.”

“You will never take her. I will not let you. We end this today.” Stepping forward, Shard raised in the air flashing downward, but not quick enough.

“Not today, Descendant,” it screeched, followed by a hideous laughter and a whooshing pop that propelled me backwards against the wall. When I lifted my head, the Reaver was gone and Aria rolled over in her bed looking across the room.

“Father? What’s going on? I had the strangest dream of a scarecrow, but it was more like an owl with funny eyes. He was cute.”

“Aria, my darling, that was no dream and there’s nothing cute about it. From this day forward we must prepare you for the ceremony to one day take Shard and my place as the Descendant. Only then will you be truly safe.”

“That’s good. You are ready,” my father said to me with a nod of satisfaction. 

The ten years since the night of the Reaver’s visit had been tough, but with hard work and a dose of grim fortitude, the day was finally here. Shard was to be passed on to me, which had my nerves on edge. Shard was an ancient soul and was known to play nasty tricks on Descendants-to-be as a way of showing its dominance over them during the passing ceremony. I’d read the written accounts from other Descendants and was preparing for the worst while growing confident that Shard would not best me. I wore simple clothes that were tightly bound to my body so that Shard could not make me disrobe. He’d done that to another female Descendant. In the same vein, months ago I cut my hair short instead of wearing the traditional lone braid of female warriors. That way, Shard couldn’t make me shave my head, as he’d also done before. However, the most important thing I did was consult my mother. She was an accomplished herbalist, and I sought a special mixture from her that might serve to block any type of enchantment that Shard might use to make me do these things. Hesitant at first, my mother finally relented and made a special mixture that she’d learned years ago, telling me to drink it just before the ceremony.

With my plans in place, I tucked mother’s elixir in my belt and headed to the garden to meet my father, and Shard, where we would conduct the passing ceremony. It was to be attended by the entire village, and as I passed through the throngs of people I pulled the bottle from my belt, sipping it down. It had a pleasant taste of honey and rosemary with a tinge of mint at the end, tickling the back of my throat. My father reached out his hand, walking me up the stairs to the raised dais where the ceremony would take place. Looking back, much of the ceremony was a blur and the importance of it didn’t really register with me until the moment when my father reached out holding Shard with the pommel directed to me. His eyes looked at me lovingly and even though I’d been preparing for this moment for years, the fact Shard was passing from his hand to mine, and becoming the Descendant was almost too much.

I hesitated, not wanting to take it, not wanting things to change. My father had always been there. My protector, the protector of the village. He had always been the Descendant. It was crazy for me to think a little girl like myself could ever be such a thing, but as I looked out upon the villagers, I was surprised at what I saw. I did not see fear or ridicule or doubt. I only saw hope and anticipation and glee. Then it hit me. It wasn’t me that they were here celebrating–it was Shard. It was the true protector, I was just to be its new vessel. As these pieces slid into place, I turned my eyes back to my father, who looked upon me with soft eyes.

“It’s ok Aria. It’s been your destiny since you were born, as it was mine. I pass Shard to you as my father passed it to me, and you will pass to your child.” A tear splayed from the edge of his eye as he pushed the blade forward.

I wanted to reach out and hold him, to tell him it was ok, but now was not the time. Now was the time to complete the ceremony, and I grasped the pommel, my small fingers barely wrapping around it. My father released his grip on the blade and the full weight of it bested me as the tip dipped slightly before I could grasp it with both hands and hold it aloft. For me, it was a two-handed sword, that is until Shard melded with me, then the weight of the blade felt as if I was lifting a hollow reed from the river. I flashed it side to side with a single hand, a smile spreading across my face, and I looked at my father to see the same smile on his. With that, the blade had passed, and a moment later I heard a raspy voice in the back of my mind. It was clear from the tone it was not happy.

“What have you done, you silly girl?” It scolded.

At first, I didn’t understand where the voice was coming from and looking at my father, he still stood smiling at me and my mother stepped to his side as the voice scolded me again. This time no longer in the back of my mind, but front and center.

“Did you take some sort of elixir? To try to block me? You cannot block me, you silly girl?”

“Stop calling me silly girl,” I said out loud. My father looked at me with a hint of understanding, but before he could speak, I threw Shard to the ground. 

“I will not stand for you talking to me in such a way,” I yelled as Shard clattered to a stop, motionless. “If we are to be bound, if I am the Descendant, then we will have some mutual respect.”

My mother and father took a took step back with a look of horror on their faces, and then I heard the screaming and panic grow from the crowd. I recalled thinking that it was just a sword, and they would all get over it. Shard would relent, and I would pick it up to become the Descendent. But the screaming grew, and my parents continued to shirk away, looking at something behind me. Then a deep, booming voice screeched out.

“When I called on her years ago, Dane, I told you this one was mine. I come for her now.” 

It was the same voice from my dream years ago, and I turned to see the Reaver, the taker of souls, lording over me.

“Aria! Pick up the blade, now!” My father yelled at me, frantically pointing the sword at my feet. 

Within an instant, I came to my senses, squaring my feet as my father had taught me. I looked at the ground, and to my surprise, Shard was in midair, flying toward me. A moment later, its pommel landed firmly in my hand, and Shard once again spoke to me, but this time not as if I were a child.

“You must let me handle this. The elixir has weakened our connection. It will take everything I have for us to survive, but there will be sacrifices today.” 

With these words, I knew immediately that I’d made a grave mistake taking that elixir, but I didn’t know just how grave at the moment. A resounding voice echoed from deep in my chest that originated from Shard and pushed outward through me. “This girl is now the Descendant, Reaver, and shall never be yours. Leave this place and never come back, or you will finally pay the price of your folly.”

The Reaver let out a great haunting laugh that shook the entire dais as the villagers shrieked, running away. They knew the stories of the Reaver, just as Dane had years ago. It lumbered forward, closer to me and my parents, as it spoke to Shard.

“I sense your weakness. I can smell it. Your connection to the Descendant, to the living source is distant, your power diminished. You risk your own life if you spread your power too thin, old friend. I will not be paying any price from you today.”

“We are not friends, Reaver, and the only thing you smell is my contempt for you. The girl is the Descendant and bound to me. She can no longer be claimed by you.”

“That is true, but her father is now free of your protection and no longer the Descendant, so I will claim his soul today.” With that, the Reaver took a step forward closer to Dane.

It wasn’t Shard that objected, but me finding my voice once again. “No, you will not take my father,” I yelled, trying to step forward, but I couldn’t. Then I heard Shard’s sympathetic voice in my mind. 

“We cannot stop him. He is right. The elixir you drank has weakened us.” 

“You must let me try,” I pleaded.

“So be it. You must learn.” Shard said, reluctantly releasing its hold over me, and I flashed forward, landing a heavy blow on the Reaver. Or at least I thought I had, but it turned flicking me away, sending me crashing against the wall. Quickly I rose charging again calling upon Shard for some help, some magic, but none came and once more the Reaver brushed me aside.

“You’re a petulant child,” it said, laughing. “You cannot harm me without the joined magic of Shard. Perhaps this day is a day to teach the Descendant a lesson that the Underworld reigns above all. Yes, today I shall claim a second soul so that you forever remember your failings and forever remember that your power pales in comparison to that of mine and my siblings.” With that, the Reaver reached out, taking hold of Dane and Kristina, my mother.

In my mind, I pleaded with Shard to call upon its ancient magic to stop the Reaver, but there was only silence until finally a quiet voice spoke.

“I’m sorry Aria, without the binding to the living source through the Descendant I only have the power to protect you from the Reaver. That’s all I can do.”

As the words echoed in her head, the Reaver stood tall, announcing to all who remained. “I claim these two souls as a warning to all who doubt my power, and remind you that not even your great Descendant and Shard can protect even the greatest among you.”

“No. I will not let you take them,” I snapped back, jumping to my feet trying to approach, but was again restrained by Shard.

“Perhaps I shall end this charade and take you too and the great Shard.” As it spoke, it took a step closer to me, dragging my parents in tow, but before it could get any closer, Shard took control, causing me to thrust the point of the sword into the ground at my feet. A sudden flash of illumination cascaded upward, settling into a shimmering shell surrounding me. The light had a glimmer, moving as if it were alive, and then Shard spoke through me once again.

“You will not take her today or any other day.” It was a commanding voice, and the Reaver stopped its advance, smirking.

“Well enough,” it said. “I have taken my due today and I will continue to claim others as I always have.”

Through me, Shard remained silent, and I remained trapped in the shimmering cocoon. Later I would realize Shard had saved my life, but today, right now, the anger welled up in me and I spat out in rage, glaring at the Reaver.

“You will not survive. I will hunt you to the ends of the Earth as no other Descendant ever has. You will rue the day that you came here, that you took my parents. It will be your undoing.”

The Reaver laughed. “That is not the way of the world, little girl. There is a balance to maintain and we both have our roles to play in it. Your precious Shard knows that as well as I do. ”

Its words were confusing, and in my current state of mind I had no desire to reflect on them. I was consumed by the anger and hatred that filled me, and I again tried to raise Shard, but my limbs remained frozen. “God damn it, Shard! Let me go. Let’s end this now.”

A resigned voice trickled into my mind. “No, Aria, I cannot let you do that. I am sorry, but you are the Descendant. The only one who can wield my power. If you die today, then all is lost. I cannot let that happen. Perhaps with time you will understand.” 

I again tried to free myself, but was still frozen, my hand on the sword, my body entombed in a magical vortex designed to protect only the Descendant, only me.

The Reaver looked at me in a quiet acknowledgement as it swept my parents in closer. A moment later, there was a whooshing pop that cast out a force of wind which hit the shimmering light surrounding me, but the shield held. My eyes never left my parents as they struggled to free themselves, and then they were gone into a single pinpoint of light, transported away, to somewhere–a place I vowed to find. It would become my life’s purpose to hunt down the Reaver and find my parents. As for ending the Reaver, Shard was even warming up to the idea.

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