The Grey God

"The portal closed," one of the others said.

Jenn looked to where the vortex had been. Damian inched towards it, planting his hands on the ground.

"Gone," he whispered. "We're stuck here."

The small group exchanged looks. The mortal world was raw and new, but there was no magic in it. Jenn felt worn from the inside as her internal magic tried to connect with that of the world. Her movements were heavy and awkward. The longer she sat, the harder it seemed to get up.

"Damian, what happened?" Dustin asked.

"I don't know," Damian replied, looking lost.

"That," another voice said, "was the Schism."

Jenn faced the newcomer, surprised to see a small, grandfatherly man with brilliant green eyes standing near them.

"Are they all dead, Watcher?" Damian asked.

"The only Guardians in existence are now in the mortal realm, and you are now the White God."

More words were exchanged, but Jenn heard none of them. The memory of her Talia falling into the chasm returned, filling her thoughts. Crippling pain began to take over her mind and body. She closed her eyes and pushed it away. Not including the man Damian called Watcher, the man called Jule was the only one of the group older than her, and he'd be lucky to survive the day.

She'd gotten her wish. She was now a Guardian in the mortal world. The people around her-the White God she was sworn to serve as a Guardian-needed her. There was nothing she could do for Talia, nothing that remained of the immortal world.

"What do we do?" Damian asked Watcher.

"You must fulfill your duty to the humans. There are many Guardians assigned to this world already. Gather your Guardians and battle the Black God," the Watcher said. "You are all that stands between him and those who live in this world."

The youth looked lost again. Jenn pitied him but couldn't bring herself to speak, not when she, too, barely understood what was going on.

"I'll protect you, ikir," Dustin said.

"Thank you, Dusty," the youth said and ruffled the boy's hair. "I guess we need to find a … a new home." His eyes went to the still man in front of Jenn. "Jule will know what to do when he wakes up."

Jenn glanced down again. She didn't want to say it, but the bloodied immortal didn't look like he'd wake up for quite a while, especially if there was no Healer among the survivors. She felt the sudden urge to run again, as far as she could from her past, Talia's death, the bleak future of the White God and his Guardians. She wanted to sprint until her body gave out then wait for her death to come. She deserved nothing less than to die broken and alone after what she'd done to her baby.