The Seeds of Life - Chapter 08

[Nathan Saniti]

The Seeds of Life - Chapter 08

Both of them felt it.

Neither was immediately sure of the source, but both N. Saniti and Nathan felt a tug at their psyche, one that could only be done by someone quite powerful. Had they been in the same room at the time of the mental invasion, it would have been a sight to behold. N. Saniti shook his head from left to right, Nathan the exact mirror image. If they had been close to a reflective surface, they each would have seen their eyes glow briefly at the attack. N. Saniti glowered his silent disapproval, his initial thought of his other half being the force at work. Across separate universes, Nathan's thoughts were the same.

At least at first.

Then the clarity of the subliminal suggestion seeped through. They each felt a sudden urge to tell the truth about their relationship to each other. Process of elimination lead them to the culprit rather quickly. Rasputin and Naomi already knew the truth. Alexa Black, Seromine, Grimm... Even that dunderhead Lunacy wouldn't have cared less for that particular grain of truth.

"Kelli," they both spoke aloud as they shook off the incantation.


Nathan prepared to leave the city of New Orleans, his map and the Star of Babylon in his possession. Baron Samedi had promised to abstain from this battle, perhaps because he feared the forces behind the impending magical misgivings. Perhaps it was to nurse old wounds left over from the French Revolution. Either way, he also swore to locate an unknown ally. They could use all the help they could get, so Nathan didn't dare to turn down the offer.

Nathan removed a slip of paper from his jacket. On the yellowed parchment was a Victorian design and a caricature of himself sipping tea seated in the corner. The inscription, spelled out in perfect calligraphy simply read, "You're Invited." Nathan smiled, bringing the paper close as if he'd planned on telling it a secret.

"Please give Kelli Starr my regards." He watched as the papyrus folded itself this way and that, forming itself into a beautiful paper rose before vanishing in a puff of neon green smoke. "My dearest desires the truth," Nathan uttered to himself, disheartened. "I only pray that she forgives me when she gets what she desires."

He stepped into the mirror of the filthy latrine he had used to hasten his journey to the Big Easy. There wasn't time to lose. The added... complication only made the time crunch all the more desperate, but he knew if they were to have Kelli completely on board, then she must have full transparency. He strode with purpose through the mirror dimension on his way back to Balance, and back to his beloved Kelli.

As for N. Saniti, he nursed the minor wounds he'd received from the likes of Grimm, Seromine, and of course, Alexa Black. The very thought of her name caused his hand to instinctively rub at the spots on his neck where he'd been hung up by the ropes, nearly choking him out completely. Had he not managed to turn himself sideways, his windpipe would surely have been crushed by the vinyl covered cables surrounding the ring during that match.

"Are you prepared to tell her the truth?" N. Saniti queried without so much as an upwards glance as Nathan stepped back into the world of Balance.

Without hiding his disdain, Nathan retorted, "Had you not slipped and piqued her curiosity, we could have saved this conversation for a more opportune time."

"It wasn't my faux pas, but your reaction that caused her wonder," N. Saniti and Nathan stared daggers at each other. The tension betwixt the two grew through a pregnant pause. The pause quickly gave birth, and the tension broke, along with the pause's water. "Bah! It was bound to happen eventually." N. Saniti's gaze softened at his other half. "If she is to truly be yours, then you and I both know that secrets can poison a relationship. It nearly destroyed us both on many occasions."

Nathan inhaled deeply, sighing his agreement. "I am aware. She may opt to have nothing more to do with me once she knows. Perhaps even with us. That could be dangerous for someone of her unlimited potential. If the wrong person tricks her into following them, training under them, she could become a deadly adversary. She knows us intimately."

"She knows YOU intimately," scoffed N. Saniti. "I find it increasingly difficult to control my carnal desires around her. My envy of you grows with each embrace I'm forced to witness. Each kiss I must endure drives my primal rage."

"Perhaps," teased Nathan, "We should kiss in your presence more often so that your so-called primal rage ignites within the confines of the squared circle. I certainly hope you do better against Andy D."

N. Saniti's face was a comical mixture of outrage and shame. "You felt that, did you? I believe Andy D's lack of conviction and confidence may be the very thing I'll use against him when we meet."

"Indeed. Don't undersell him. He uses his underdog persona to gain the surprise advantage whenever he can." Nathan placed the map on the kitchen table, unrolling it, and twisting it each way to determine the correct direction. "Which way is up on this blasted thing?" As if answering the request, an arrow peeled itself mostly off of the map and pointed directly at the sky. "Delightful," mused Nathan sarcastically, "Just what we need. An atlas with a sense of humor." The map shook with either laughter or delight, it was difficult to determine which, since the thing had no mouth.

Nathan placed the Star next to the map, the scroll shrinking in protest of its unwanted neighbor. Nathan absently spaced the two relics far enough apart for the map to relax. N. Saniti approached with curiosity. "The map didn't seem too impressed with the Star. Is that a normal reaction?"

"Quite possibly," concurred Nathan. "The Seed of Patience reacted similarly when it came into contact with the Star as well."

"How high is the Star's price?"

"I shall lose someone very dear to me." The utterance of the words sank with reality, collapsing in upon his heart with the weight of a dying Starr. "I'm not sure if the price will be worth it."

N. Saniti approached, placing a hand on Nathan's shoulder. "You know that sacrifices like this sometimes have to be made for the better of all things, right?"

Nathan couldn't bear to answer. A single tear ran down his cheek, heavy like mercury as it fell to the floor with a nearly audible thump.

While she was away, a small puff of smoke materialized in the middle of the bed of one Kelliska Staranova. A paper rose appeared where the smoke dissipated, awaiting its intended receiver to notice it with as much anxiety as a slip of paper could muster.