Chapter 32
The bubble that had surrounded Falcon burst in a silent pop. In fact, everything around him had grown silent. The only things he could hear were Faith’s soft moan and his own pounding heart that seemed to be beating in his ear.
Volcseck, who looked extremely pleased with himself, took Faith’s emblem and clutched it in his hands. A teleportation later he was gone, taking with him the artifact that had eluded him for an eternity.
Clutching at the spot where the sword had penetrated, Faith fell to her knees.
“No!” yelled Falcon, feeling his entire world crumble. He flung himself across the floor. His arms wrapped around Faith, catching her before she hit the green pasture. He knew from the distinctive shallow breaths she was taking that he was losing her. He also knew that Faith couldn’t heal herself, not without her emblem.
“I’ll heal you.” He tried to move her hands away from her injury, but as soon as he moved her hands, blood poured out. It ran down her white dress, turning the pink flowers on the cloth into a deep crimson.
“W-what do I d-do?” he stuttered, swallowing hard.
Think, Falcon. You have holy. You need to use it.
“Shhhh…” said the sweet honeyed voice he had gotten so used to hearing. She looked up at him with glassy eyes. “There’s nothing to do anymore. This is the way it has to be.”
“No, n… no, no!”
Weakly, she brought her hands to his lips. “You did a great job at getting rid of much of your anger.” She coughed a few times and closed her eyes.
“Faith. Faith!”
Her eyes snapped open, and for a second she looked lost. A few blinks later she seemed to have returned to normalcy. “Y…y—” A loud swallow later she said, “You were given an unfair amount of chaos energy, much more than any human was ever meant to have. You alone cannot control it. It is time I do my part in this.”
Falcon felt as if someone had just delivered a wielding blow to his chest. The air in his body escaped him as he realized what it was that Faith had been doing at the library all those days. At last, he understood why she had been so intent on knowing everything there was to know about Aadi’s unique ability to hold earth energy without an emblem.
“You figured out how to hold energy within yourself?” said Falcon. As he spoke he barely registered the dripping streaks of rain that had begun to drum on his back. “But the ability to do so costs your life, doesn’t it?”
Faith’s warm smile was all the answer he needed.
Falcon’s looked down at his trembling hand that was settled over Faith’s wound. “I can’t. I’m not ready.”
“With both our holy energies, you will be able to do things before thought impossible. Please tell Aya and Hiromy they have my thanks for being my friends.”
“You can tell them.” Falcon kept on hoping for a miracle, something to wake him from this nightmare.
“We both know that can’t be.” A tear dripped down Faith’s cheek. The color drained from her once pink face. “I’m glad I met you.” Every word she voiced was a struggle as the last of her energy left her. Slowly she caressed his face and ran her hand through his hair. “I love you, Falcon.”
She pulled him in.
Shaky breaths of pain, regret, and denial coursed through him. Even the simple act of talking was painful. His eyes burned as tears welled up. “I love you too, Faith. You’re the person I’ve always strived to be.” Their lips met. The scent of peaches and wet dirt coursed through the air.
As they kissed, a surge of warm light travelled from Faith into Falcon. He felt it move through his body and settle in the pit of his chest.
When their lips parted, her emerald eyes, which had been full of life hours ago, were cold and lifeless.
“Faith?” He shook her. His voice cracked with a pain he had never felt before. “Faith.” Tears and raindrops traced down his cheeks. “Wake up, Faith. I need you. Please wake up.”
But the holy wielder did not wake. And as Falcon closed her eyes and held her tightly in his trembling arms, he knew that he was never going to hear her beautiful laughter again, never experience her warm touch, and never take her out dancing as he had planned to.
Faith, his better half, was gone forever.
Chapter 33
Hiromy and Sheridan raced down the empty streets. The serene silence the homes provided was a welcome change from the usual voices booming in her head. Ever since she had found out she was going to die, the voices had grown unusually silent. She only wished that her mind was clearer. Her thoughts remained mostly obscured by a muffled cloud, a constant reminder of her duel with Dokua.
“We’re almost there!” cried Sheridan. He had at first been apprehensive about letting her go into the battle. She convinced him, however, that she would rather die on her feet, fighting alongside her friends, than cowering in a room.
She closed her eyes and staggered as a wave of pain suddenly assaulted her cranium.
“Are you okay?” Sheridan leaned down, looking concerned.
She stood up slowly. “Y…yes. I’m fine.”
“I need to get you back to the inn. You’ll only get hurt out there.”
“I said no.” She stood. “Aya and Faith need me.”
Sheridan gave her the same defeated look he had given her back at the inn when she had announced that she was headed into the battle.
“Let’s move, then.”
Move they did. They ran at a determined pace. The silence that had been the norm minutes ago gave way to the sound of clattering weapons and screams. Once in a while there would be a thunderous clash, and she knew that someone had just used a wielding attack.
“About time you two got here!” called a familiar voice when they reached the first Missean lines. Before them spread a wide open field where a climactic battle was taking place. Behind the Suteckh lines, which looked like a mass of black, spread the ocean as far as the eye could see. The Suteckh ships, which all had black and silver sails, were exchanging cannon fire with hundreds of pirate ships. Leading the charge were the ships Hiromy recognized as those belonging to Captain Armeen and Redclaw.
“Professor Dunn,” said Sheridan. “What is going on over there?”
“What do you think, you worthless fool? The pirates have come to our aid. Without them we would have been overrun. They are holding back the Hollow clansmen of the sea. Pirates hold allegiance to no one. I don’t know why they are doing this!”
Hiromy smiled, thinking of Faith.
“What can we do?” asked Sheridan.
“You can help by not asking stupid questions and getting into the fight.” The short man turned to Hiromy, and his voice took on a much softer tone. He bowed slightly. “Princess. Always a pleasure to see you.”
“Leotris!” called a man Hiromy had never seen before. He had the same handsome features as Falcon. He wore a wind emblem on one hand and a space emblem in the other. Hiromy got a sudden urge to jump on the man and listen to his heartbeat. She was sure it had to be the strongest she had ever heard. She took a breath and drowned out her emotions. Her training with Faith had served some purpose after all.
“Yes, Albert!” said Dunn.
“I need you to reinforce the Master’s battalion.”
Hiromy looked over to where Albert had pointed. In the middle of the skirmish was Laars. He was wielding earth pillars, trying to keep himself and a group of men safe from a giant creature coming down on them.
“At once!” Dunn took off into the battlefield, screaming atop his lungs.
“Oh, no,” said Sheridan. “What in the world is that?”
Apparently the Suteckh were done messing around. To the right end of the battlefield, a Neikan Demon had emerged from a dark portal. This one was not the usual green. It was a deep crimson. It had to be three times the size of its counterparts. Its tusks at the end of its mouth snarled as it swung the chained mace it carried, bringing it down on a group of screaming Missean soldiers. Behind it, three dark creatures had emerged from a similar dark hole. A group of wielders, each flicking water and ice at them, rushed to meet them. The attacks bounced off the tar-like bodies as if they were simple specks of rain.
The largest of the dark creatures morphed one of its hands into something that resembled an oozing black sword. Its yellow eyes flickered to life as it swung its makeshift weapon in a circular arc. A few water wielders managed to crouch under the attack. Three of them weren’t so lucky. They were severed in half in one fell swoop.
“I was hoping to stay back as much as possible to oversee the battle,” said Albert. He looked over at the red Neikan Demon. “This threat is too much to overlook.”
“What about the dark creatures?” asked Sheridan.
“Trust me,” said Sheridan. “Those monsters of darkness are mere playthings compared to the destroyer of worlds.”
As he spoke the Neikan Demon roared. It was a tremendous growl that sent ripples of power coursing through the air. Friend and foe alike were thrown back, their mangled bodies falling in a pile of corpses. It turned its attention to the city. It beat its chest and took off in a slow and determined run. Every step sent a tremor through the ground.
Albert spoke. Hiromy drowned out his voice. A fear swelled within her unlike any she had ever experienced. The city was doomed. There was no way anyone could stand up to the terrifying presence looming toward them.
“Hiromy!” called Sheridan. He gripped her by the elbows. “Are you ready?”
“Y… yes. Yes.” She blinked, trying to regain control of herself. “Ready for what?”
“To take out the dark creatures. Albert ordered us to aid the water wielders. Don’t you remember?”
“Yes, I remember,” she lied. The last thing she needed was for him to think she wasn’t ready, which in all reality she wasn’t. Her head was pounding. Her legs were trembling, and the voices were beginning to talk to her again.
“Let’s go, Phantom.” At her side, Albert had just mounted a dark horse that had appeared out of a black hole. It had red lines sketched across its muscular body. The steed stood on its hind legs, and with a mighty whinny, it took off after the Neikan Demon.
She took Sheridan’s hand and gave him a quick kiss. His mere presence drowned out the voices enough for her to regain some control. Still holding his hand, she rushed onto the battlefield, sure that this was the last time she would ever feel his touch.
~~~
Thick droplets of water echoed around Aya as she moved deeper into the cave. She had initially thought that it was going to be pitch dark down here, but the walls had thousands of crystal minerals embedded in them, which shined brightly, illuminating the path with a translucent blue glow.
She had been walking for some time now, expecting to run into some type of Suteckh scouts or battalion. Instead, however, she had walked in relative silence, with only her thoughts and footsteps to keep her company.
She turned another corner and headed down a steep path. The soft gravel under her crunched softly.
The path led out into a domed room. It was large, and unlike the rest of the cave (which carried the aroma of water), this section had the unmistakable scent of earth. Once again, the lights provided a clear view of the room in its entirety. There were boulders scattered throughout. Two dried husks of shed skin rested against the walls. There were a number of small holes in the walls.
This had to be place the worms used to nurse. She did recall the books mentioning that Dharati, the Golden Wielder’s pet worm, had a two offspring.
Suddenly, the pleasant aura in the worm nursery turned vile, as if all the good in Va’siel had just been extinguished. Aya stood at the ready, certain that she knew what was behind this shift in the environment.
Her suspicions were confirmed when, directly before her, a woman with dried blood running down from the eyes of her mask emerged. She did not wear the dark cloak she had been wearing the last time they’d met. Instead she had a black, sleeveless tunic, exposing her slim figure. Her pants were of the same color, as was the hilt of the sword that hung at her waist. She had silver and black tattoos on her arms. Most appeared to be of wild animals, but a few were insignias Aya did not recognize.
Selene!
She had been cloaked, which would explain why she appeared out of thin air. Strangely, the soldiers she had expected to be accompanying her did not emerge at her side.
“Did you think that the Blood Empress needed guards escorting her as if she were not a master of darkness?” asked Selene, apparently reading Aya’s questing features.
Aya felt a sudden burst of pain. She was standing toe to toe with the little sister she had loved so much. Even after years apart, that love had never ceased. The rush of emotions coursed through her body, threatening to overtake her.
“Selene,” she said in a strained voice. “I’m Aya, your older sister.”
“There is no Selene,” said the Suteckh Empress. There was no anger in her voice, nor any sign of any other emotion for that matter. “There is only the Blood Empress, ruler of Suteckh, and soon to be ruler of Va’siel.”
“No,” pleaded Aya. “Father and Mother had you brainwashed. You’re no Blood Empress. You’re Selene.”
“Shut up!”
Aya barely had time to react as her sister dashed at her, sword in hand. She reached at her waist and took out her katana. Usually, Aya preferred to bring her batons, but those had been given to her by her traitorous father. So instead she now relied on a katana and wakizashi, a smaller sword.
The swords clanked against each other as they met with ferocity. Time after time the weapons clashed. Their sword skills were near identical, with neither one having a clear advantage over the other. Aya noticed that Selene was slightly faster, but she was stronger by a hair. At this rate, the battle was going to take an eternity to finish.
Selene’s sword whooshed past Aya. Instead of blocking, she took a step back and reached for her wakizashi. Two weapons would be the tipping point of this sword battle, she was sure of it.
Before she could put her new plan into action, Selene also stepped back.
Aya was certain her sister was about to wield. Aya readied for the elemental attack that never came. Instead, Selene threw the sword forward. Two sharp ends split up from the sword, turning the weapon into a triple edged menace. A long chain emerged from the hilt.
That was too close
, thought Aya, barely dodging the trio of blades that wheezed over her crouching head. She took a step forward, but Selene pulled the iron chain back. This time Aya hopped over the attack.
She feigned a move left, but at the last moment dashed to the right. Selene took the bait, but as soon as she saw Aya switch postures, she pulled on the chain, arching the weapon back to cut across Aya’s path.
Water surrounded both the katana and wakizashi as Aya parried every attack that came her way. She was at an impasse. She couldn’t get closer to her sister. Selene was a master with the iron chain, using it to defend, attack, and cut off her advance as she cut through the air in graceful sweeps.
The iron chain swept over her and down, threatening to cleave her head. Aya’s katana met the attack. She felt the hit register on her blade, which shook violently. With her left hand she ran the wakizashi directly into the hole in one of the chains. She twisted the small sword. The sound of the chain breaking in half did not come. Instead Selene pulled her iron chain weapon back, forcing the wakizashi out of her hands.
Selene grinned with satisfaction as she took Aya’s wakizashi in her hand. “You should really be more careful how you handle your weapons. Giving them to your opponent is a poor strategy.” Then she was upon her. Up until now Selene had remained very stationary. Now she ran and took to the air. Suspended in mid-flight she front flipped countless times. Her weapon spun with her, creating a loud whizzing sphere.
The long chain came down hard.
Aya, knowing full well that there was no way her katana could take such a blow, moved to the side.
The trio of swords clanked on the ground, splintering the earth and raising a cloud of dust.
Squares of ice blew from Aya’s hands, only to have Selene shatter them in mid-flight with her weapon. Before the ice fell, Aya softened it into water and pushed it at her enemy.
Selene weaved masterfully between attacks. The water hit the ground and dispersed out of view.
“My turn.” Selene flipped and spun in a series of acrobatic maneuvers. Her iron chain danced around her, like an extension of her body.
If it wasn’t for the fact that she was fighting for her life, Aya might have stopped to admire the display of swordsmanship.
The iron chain whizzed across the ground. Aya jumped to avoid the attack. Selene kicked the air. A burst of dark energy emerged before her feet. It was too late for Aya to dodge, and the attack connected directly on her torso. She fell to the ground but quickly grounded her hands and pushed up, back flipping back onto her feet. It was becoming apparent that she needed to get the weapon away from Selene. But how? Every move she made was countered immediately. Keeping her head focused on the weapon, she fired a volley of water spurts. As she had expected, Selene moved her weapon to intercept the attacks.
Aya followed behind her water, coming in high over Selene.
Her sister grunted as Aya drove her fist into her belly. She didn’t go down. Instead, Selene grabbed Aya’s arm and twisted it.
Hot, searing pain ran down Aya’s elbow as it twisted forward in an unnatural arc. With her right hand, she brought her katana forward, forcing Selene to let go.