Authors: Samantha LaFantasie
As he spoke, his words touched me. My heart fluttered weightlessly within my chest. I focused through the tears that filled my eyes as I reached up and gently touched his lips with my fingertips. I slid my hand along his face to the back of his head, closing the space between us. Before my lips connected to his, I whispered, “I love you.”
He squeezed me tightly, bringing my lips to his. Our feelings, for the first time, were aligned. And with the way it felt, I was sure that there was a light shining between us, like a tiny sun, that filled the room and flowed down the hall, over the balcony, and into the world.
Spreading the light of our love.
But the dark side of our love shadowed our moment in the form of a painful cramp that felt like a dozen blades slicing across my torso and spreading throughout my body. My skin felt like it was being peeled off. I couldn’t move. It hurt too much. I was forced under the weight of the pain and held there as the change ripped through me.
When it felt as though my skin was gone, the sensation of having acid poured on me took over. The fire coursed through my veins relentlessly until there was nothing left but ash and bone. Even then the pain didn’t stop as every section of bone felt shattered by boulders. Once I had no more to be consumed, the pain ripped through me again, starting over from the beginning. Only then peeling muscle and skin, taking the layers one at a time and as slowly as possible, so that pain turned bittersweet.
I knew Marren said I wouldn’t die, but I certainly wished for it. The pain was incomparable to anything that I
had ever experienced before. I only wanted it to end, to never feel pain again. Yet, it kept coming. I endured the continuous sensation of being literally consumed, piece by piece, for what felt like hours. Then I felt a break, an ease in the intensity. Until slowly, the pain ebbed, leaving me afraid to move with a heart that pounded furiously.
I felt Marren's hands smooth over my body. I became aware of my surroundings. Instead of standing, I was lying down with my eyes closed. Instead of lying on a hard floor, I was in bed.
You aren't dead waya, you survived,
Marren’s
voice entered my mind.
You can hear my thoughts?
Yes, I can. I didn't know I could until you thought you were dead.
Huh. Can everyone hear my thoughts now?
I doubt it. I can't hear Enid's nor can he hear mine.
But I could hear Joe'n speaking to me.
She spoke to you?
He sounded surprised, even in my head.
In my mind, yes.
What did she say?
She told me to not fear.
That I had a pure heart and soul.
She can speak to you, but you cannot speak to her. It is something that she does to help ease those who are in pain, worried, sick, or to convey a private message to someone. I doubt it works all the time. You'd have to be open to it.
There is still so much I don’t know and I fear I will never fully understand your world.
You will, someday.
We laid in silence, curled into each other. I thought about Marren, and the way we share our feelings when we touch. He probably experienced the same thing.
Are you okay?
Yes, why?
Because you can feel what I feel.
It’s more emotional pain that I feel rather than physical. I'm more concerned with you and how you are holding up.
Let's just say, I'm not looking forward to the change anymore.
I felt his body shake slightly. I tensed, afraid of pain.
I warned you it would be painful.
Yes, but you didn't tell me it would feel the way it did.
I didn't know. It's been many years since I first changed and the pain is just a faded memory to me. I can't really remember much of it.
You weren't born—
Like this? No. I was born looking like a normal human child until I reached the first blue moon of my adolescence. There was a ceremony held for me to celebrate my coming into manhood, it was a big deal to my family. Then, as the years went by, there was less and less
pain
. I honestly don't remember it being anything like what you went through. I'm so sorry.
I felt his arms tighten around me. It felt...the same. I didn't know what I was expecting exactly, but I thought it would feel different somehow. I smiled to myself, grateful for one less thing to have changed.
Relena, open your eyes.
I did—slowly. The light of the moon shocked me completely. It was bright and I could see everything as if it were day. I sat up slowly and started to walk to the balcony.
How long was I going through the change?
Several hours.
I'm very impressed though. You hardly made a peep. Just a few moans of anguish and that was it. With the amount of pain you were in, it would be nothing less than understandable to cry out.
I felt like I was screaming at the top of my lungs at some parts.
It's not a pleasant experience. But, look at it this way—your next time will be quicker and less painful. Not by much, but still...the degree will be less each time.
I turned to face Marren. He was standing right behind me and even then, he was terrifyingly beautiful. “How do I look?”
“Like waya uwoduhi,” he purred his words while removing a strand of hair from my face and tucking it behind my ear.
“What does that mean? You've said it before but you never told me what it means.”
“Beautiful wolf.”
I smiled, feeling a new sharpness in my teeth against my lips. I touched my lips and pulled them back to see them tinged with blood.
“That's not the only change that you will experience.” He jumped up on the edge of the balcony then twisted to face me. “Let me show you the
proper
way to jump from the balcony.” He dropped down silently and without a thud. I looked over the edge to see him gazing up at me.
Come on,
his words whispered in my head.
I jumped up, landing in a kneeling position on the railing. On my inhale, I leapt off the edge, making a slight thump when I landed on the ground and exhaled. I knelt to the ground and found I could see and pick out each individual blade of grass, weed, and stone that jutted up from the ground. I saw each leaf on the bushes in the garden
and on the trees. Everything had a faint aura.
“Amazing!”
“Yes you are. Come, run with me.” He held his hand to me. I smiled as I slipped mine into his.
I smelled everything as I did the other day, not as a blend of scents but as each individual one. The trees didn't blur by me, instead each remained crystal clear until we passed them. Every branch, limb, leaf, and blade of grass...everything was clear in my focus.
Just up ahead I could see a break in the trees and a ledge. The smell of water hit my nose before the roaring sound of the nearby waterfall hit my ears. I stopped just before the ledge to look over and judged the distance. It would be suicide. Then Marren ran past me, flying into the air with his arms out from his sides and legs together. His body tilted down, rapidly flying into the water.
“Marren!”
It's okay. Jump.
How did it not kill you?
We can't die that easily. Our bodies heal extremely fast. If you were human, the slam into the water alone would kill you. But, hit the angle right, and you won't feel a thing at all.
If not?
It'll sting but not for long.
I walked back a few paces,
then
kicked the dirt behind me, running at full speed into the air. I tried to follow Marren's lead and form. I brought my hands to the water, feeling and hearing the rush as it surrounded my body with just a slight sting to my skin. When I surfaced above water, I saw Marren disappear behind a few trees. I ran after him, following the silhouette of his body until he froze in place.
Stop running!
Marren shouted in my head.
Why? What's wrong?
Hunters.
If they see us, they'll have entire kingdoms swarming this place, killing everything in sight until they find us, and then do the same.
I walked slowly, the heavy scent of steel and sweat, mixed with pipe smoke filled my nose. Reaching Marren's side, I took his hand as he led us silently away from the hunters.
How does your fear of their reaction towards us affect the prophecy that Enid told me about?
I asked.
We have to do it slowly; we can't just rush in on them unannounced. It would create too much chaos and turmoil, effectively doing more harm than good. We have to slowly re-introduce ourselves and re-educate the humans of our ways.
You really don't like the Denai, do you?
Jiren?
No. But not for reasons you're thinking of. There's more in our history that is full of foul blood.
We changed directions, heading towards some cliffs to a cave. It was nestled in thick trees, well hidden from sight. He turned to me, holding my face in his hands. “We have to stay here for the night and wait for the hunters to move on. We'll head back in the morning.”
I nodded.
His lips pressed against mine, taking in the feel and the taste of our kiss. I kissed him harder, tasting blood. He didn't seem to mind.
Jump up
, his words filled my head. He caught my legs in midair, pulling them around his waist and pressing my back against the hard wall.
Are you not worried about the hunters coming in here?
Huh-uh.
Why?
Because there are stories that surround this cave that frighten them. So they stay as far away as possible.
His kiss deepened, filling me with a rush that bubbled and boiled within me. He pulled away from me before I gave into him. “What's the matter?”
“Waiting to hear Enid's call for the clear.”
“Why?”
“Because the other Ancient
s could renege and come after us.”
“Why would they do something like that? I thought we satisfied their requests.”
“Some of them have been plotting to get rid of me for quite some time. I'm too much of a threat to them. And if I pull off the prophecy, they will be rendered virtually powerless over the people they govern, losing what control they've gained over the years.”
“I thought that crossing back into the mortal realm was what everyone wanted? And why would you be considered a threat? You seem pretty compliant to follow the laws about as equally as them.”
“Not everyone wants to cross. There are some that fear a repeated war with more lives lost. And, there are some that feel they are above humans. I'm a threat because I was chosen to be the leader for the other races I govern,
whereas the others were appointed by the Ancients they succeeded.”
“How did the other Ancients die? I thought it was nearly impossible to kill you?”
I watched his face grow darker and felt my own heart weep at his sadness. “I lost my family during the cross over. The wars were horrific. Humans did everything they could to provoke the races just so they could get rid of us. My mother and my grandmother died. I lost my father long before I can remember. I never really knew him.”
“I'm sorry. That's horrible.”
He hugged me closer. “I have you now, so it's okay.”
“What are we going to do if the Ancients do fall back on their word?”
“Tonight, anything we can. After crossing over, we have to convince enough of them to our side and then defeat the others.”
“Can you do that?”
“We can, yes. But I hope it doesn't come down to that.”
“Me too, by the sounds of it.
But if it does, how are we going to defeat the other Ancients?”
“By proving you're my heart song.”
“Didn't we just do that?” I asked as my heart leapt higher.
“Don't be fooled. Jiren will see to it that the races are convinced we’re using some sort of trickery. You only passed their initial assessment to be allowed into the immortal realm. From there, a test will be devised to stretch the limits of our bond. They'll try to break it. When they discover that what we've said is truth, then all will be well.”
“I thought the prophecy said that you could rejoin the realms?”
“I can, with you. But, it's not enough. I have to have the races and the other Ancients behind me or it could cause a war that would tear apart both worlds.”
“How do you suppose we take down a hand full of Ancients?” I asked watching him walk to the center of the cave and sit down.
“They aren't as powerful as you think.”
Come sit with me.
I took a seat in front of him then slid my legs around his waist, and closed the space between us. He hugged me tightly to him, just as a howl broke through the night. Enid gave the all clear.
Now where were we?
Marren asked, pressing his lips to mine.