The Darkest Eternities

XXVI. Timeless

Kogo

Bright light surrounded me as my body left the comfort of my boutique. It was as if I was floating in an empty space. I actually was. There  was nothing around me. I was surrounded by heavenly colours. The kind of colours found above the clouds with blue, purple, magenta and black. This had always been my favourite portal.

A lethargy began to take over my body as the portal asked its carrying charge.

That's what a portal did to you. It sucked the life force out of as you moved throw it. Everything had its price, even magic, especially magic.

For every spell there is a toll. This is to keep the balance of life, the balance of nature.

I was not so sure my body could handle this task any more. I was getting old and age also has its toll. If I had it my way, I would never leave my house or my liquor cabinet. Sadly, I had to attend the stupid meeting. One day -soon- I would tell the other Princeps to go screw themselves.

Screw you all! Fuck your godforsaken meetings.

A smile tugged at my lips as I entertained the idea.

Suddenly, I stopped floating and before knowing it my knees were met with a hard force. Opening my eyes, I saw that I had arrived at my destination.

I was kneeling on the stark white, limestone floors of the highest tower in the Witch Lands.

Looking up, I took in my surroundings. I was at the centre of the room, kneeling directly in front of the starry portal.

The room was stupendously large, comfortably a dozen times the size of my home. With high, golden ceilings and a masterfully carved stone pillars supporting it, it was the height of ten long-legged men standing on top of each other. You would think the architect's aim was to touch heavens and disturb Zeus as he hoed around in his palace.

"I would appreciate it if you watched your language while using my portal, Kova ." To my ears came the chilling, nauseating voice of a woman I knew.

Her words, reminded me one important fact :a portal broke the barriers  put up by the human mind, allowing anyone on the other side to hear your thoughts as you travelled. She had heard my thoughts. And I did not give a rat's ass.

Meria- as usual- was dressed to kill. She was trying too hard. Even when we were young, she cared too much about what people thought about her, a common effect of growing up in a highly noble witch family.

She wore pure white, a sign of purity -none of which she had- and  left her blonde locks hanging over her shoulders, cascading down her slim back.

I felt a twinge of jealously. The men here preferred her kind, blondes, they always had, I while and my raven locks were left in the dusk awaiting her tired scraps.

"Are you going to sit there the whole night? Surely Kova, we have much work to do," she said, her tone reprimanding. How I wanted to smack her.

She addressed me by my birth name. I only ever used it here. Elsewhere I was Kogo, a fun loving old lady who will sell you weed provided your fake id is believable enough.

Taking a breath, I stood.

"Be kind, Meira," someone said. I knew that voice. It was Keith. He came up from behind me, dressed in pure black, prepared for meeting we would be having in a few hours' time.