“Such words would not be coming out of your mouth if you were in my place. I am not used to running from my foes.” A doleful look clouded her face. “Throughout my whole life, I always found strength in my ability to overcome my fears. Today, I see myself as weak as a prey fighting against its predator.”
“Tell me, Xylia,” Arundel spoke in a low voice, holding up one of the skewers, smoke ascending from the cooked rabbit meat. “Do you long for power to achieve your own desires or to fight for a greater cause?”
Xylia’s intertwined her fingers. She bit the sides of her lips. “I long for power to bring justice upon those who are lovers of wickedness, Arundel.”
“Courage is the greatest weapon we could ever hope to wield.” Demetre leaned his body toward the flames. “We must believe that we can be a light amidst this darkness.”
She lowered her shoulders, dropping her head between her hands. “Do you not think that I believe, Demetre?” She wiped her nose with her wrist. “I just witnessed our companions being taken by our enemies. Who knows what they are doing to them now. What can we expect to see once those three books are opened?” Tears trailed down the sides of her face as she closed her eyes.
I pressed my fingers against my head, listening to her low sobs. My heart ached with the memories that invaded my mind. I saw the dimples that appeared on my mother’s cheeks when she laughed; heard my father humming a joyful melody when we used to go fishing at the shores of the River of Agalmath. I missed lying on the soft grass of the Hills of Mahnor. Would I ever see Agalmath again? Would I ever return home? My eyes brimming with tears, I looked at Demetre. He rested his chin on his crossed hands. With a pensive expression, he watched the fire dance.
“Food is ready.” A thin smile crossed Arundel’s lips as he reached for one of the skewers. He was about to take a bite when his eyes widened. He laid the skewer over the fire, standing to his feet. His lips curved into a long smile.
“Look at that…” His voice trailed off as he raised his finger to the sky.
I turned my head to see what had caught Arundel’s attention. The dark clouds that had veiled the moon and stars for so many months were dispersing. The thin, bright, curved line of a new moon appeared, surrounded by bright stars.
“Are my eyes being cheated?” Arundel stepped closer to me. “Is that the moon?”
Xylia broke out in laughter, mesmerized by the sight. Demetre smiled, his eyes trailing across the firmament.
“Do you think we will see the sun rise in the morning?” There was joy in Xylia’s voice.
“I hope so.” I took in a deep breath, absorbing every detail of the wondrous sky.
“What do you think happened?” Demetre reached for one of the skewers. “What could have caused these clouds to disappear?”
“Do you think the books were opened?” Arundel grasped the skewer he had laid over the fire.
“I want to believe that this is a sign.” Xylia looked at Arundel with a smile. “No matter how dark the clouds, the sun and the moon still shine above them.”
My ears were filled with melodious sounds that emerged from the forest. The chirping of crickets merged with the high-pitched screeches of cicadas. The howling of wolves came from deep within the forest. Though it was night, the forest awoke as the soft light of the moon shone above.
I reached for one of the skewers, devouring the well-cooked meat. For a while, we sat quietly, listening to the wildlife of the Weeping Mountains.
It was strange to see joy in my companions’ faces. I allowed myself to enjoy this moment. For a short while, I decided to ignore the danger we were all in.
After we were done eating, Demetre made himself comfortable beside the fire, laying his head against a rock. Arundel strolled to a tree trunk located to my far right. I walked to a sycamore tree that sat near the river. I reclined on its trunk, allowing the sound of the running water to soothe me.
Countless stars shone above me. There were so many of them that it was if a large hand had tossed diamond dust across the sky.
There was a sound of twigs being crushed by slow footsteps coming from my right. Xylia met my gaze with a smile.
“Can’t sleep?” I cleared my throat, watching her approach me with tired eyes. The soft breeze blew against her red hair.
“Do you mind if I sleep somewhere here?” Her lips trembled as she spoke.
“No, of course not.” In haste, I picked up the wet scattered leaves and broken branches that were next to me, tossing them to the other side of the tree. “You can sleep here if you want.”
“Are you sure? I do not want to disturb your rest, Isaac. You are tired.”
I scratched the back of my head. “I am sure.”
Though there was not much space. I dragged my body to my left, giving her some room to lie down.
She reclined against the tree trunk, leaning her head back. I watched her with attentive eyes while she looked the stars.
“What a sight to behold,” she said. “The sky is so vast and endless.”
“My father once told me that it takes thousands of years for the light of the stars to reach us.” I looked at her. “What do you think?”
“I do not care about the amount of years it takes for their light to reach us. The important thing is to have them shine in the dark sky, don’t you think?”
I felt the warmth of her breath brush against my cheeks as her eyes searched mine.
“What?” I whispered, putting my right arm around her.
“How do you do it?” She rested her head on my shoulder. “How do you stay sane through all this?”
A shiver shot down my spine when I felt a cold breeze touch my skin.
“There is no sanity in me. Have you not noticed?”
She let out a soft breath. “Do you regret not accepting Xavier’s offer? I mean, you would have forgotten all of this. You would have been rid of all the pain and the hurt.”
My head leaned against the tree trunk.
“I cannot deny the fact that I wanted to have this weight lifted from me, but my purpose speaks louder than my desires. I hung by a thread when he offered to erase my mind.” My breath rasped in my throat. “I have to accept the fact that even if we win this war—”
“When.” She raised her right eyebrow. “When we win this war.” There was an edge to her voice.
I chuckled. “When we win this war, I am aware that these memories will haunt me forever. I guess that is the price I will have to pay. Every decision has both good and bad outcomes.”
She leaned in closer to my face, her nose inches from mine. “Are there any memories that you want to remember?”
I felt the softness of her skin as I cupped her face with the palm of my hand.
“Yes.” My thumb rubbed on her cheek. “This one.” Our lips touched in a tender kiss. My heart raced when I wrapped my arms around her. The smell of her red hair reminded me of a garden of roses. Her fingertips trailed across my cheeks and down my neck.
“Was this kiss worthy of remembrance?” she asked, her lips parting from mine. I could smell her breath as our foreheads touched.
“Most definitely,” I said, my fingers entwined with hers.
She reclined her head on my chest, wrapping her right arm around me. I leaned back on the tree trunk. There was no denying that since the first time I had laid eyes on Xylia, I had felt something special for her. It was a strange thing to feel this way during these times when there was so much darkness and destruction around me. I fought against my eyelids as I watched her fall asleep. After some time, my eyes shut as I listened to the sound of the river.
Flames as tall as trees encircled me. My eyes glistened, striving to see beyond the blinding cloud of smoke. The stench of burnt flesh made my stomach turn. Confused, I took a few cautious steps, trying to get a better view of my surroundings. There was nothing familiar about this place.
“Do you think you can hide from me, Isaac?” The sound of Lucifer’s foul voice stung my ears. “I am coming soon.”
My steps turned to running. My eyes traveled through the landscape, trying to spot Lucifer’s location. I felt a hard, sharp, and uneven surface beneath the soles of my feet. With every step I took, there was a crushing sound coming from the ground. I lowered my eyes, attempting to see what it was.
My throat closed at the sight. A carpet of human skulls sat on the uneven terrain. Some had strands of hair and pieces of rotten flesh hanging from them. Using the tips of my fingers, I shut my nose, trying to avoid the odor.
“Look at your future, Isaac.” There was a hiss at the sound of every word he uttered. “These skulls belonged to those that you loved. Like an untamed lion when it feasts upon its prey, I will devour every single one of them.”
Desperation crawled beneath my skin as the tormented wailing of children bellowed in my mind. I crouched to my knees, covering my ears in an attempt to avoid the screams.
“Their cries are like music to me.” A thick, gray mist rose from the ground, dimming my sight. “What kind of music will you make when I crush your bones, Isaac?”
“Isaac!” The breaking voice of a young boy shouted. “You failed. I am burning because of you.”
“No, no.” My right fist came against the ground.
“I watched my younger brother die because you did not save me, Isaac,” the tender voice of a young girl whispered. “Will you let me die? Will you not save me?”
All the voices joined together in a disturbing choir, shouting my name.
“I will kill every man, woman, and child who stands in my way. Join my kingdom or confront your fate.” The hovering mist moved in the air like a snake. It circled around my face. With every breath, it entered my body through my nostrils. My fingers grew numb. My eyes rolled back in my head. I lost feeling in my legs.
“You cannot hide.” Lucifer’s voice was a whisper in my ear.
My eyes burst open. Sweat dripped down the side of my face. With ragged breaths, I stooped forward. Xylia had rolled over to her side, sleeping on top of her hands. Demetre still slept in the same spot, snoring with his arm on his forehead. Arundel rested with his arms crossed and his head bowed.
I reached inside my satchel. A shudder spread through my body when my fingertips felt the object. I sat up straight, taking the Diary out and laying it on my lap. Though I had been its bearer for quite some time now, I was still not used to laying eyes on it. The mysterious etchings on the cover sent shivers down my spine. I touched the rusted lock that kept the Diary inside of its case, pondering the mystery and secrets that were written on its pages.
Had it been a dream or had Lucifer entered my mind?
I saw a dim red light shining from the symbol that was etched on the case. The straight line surrounded by a wide circle shimmered as the light coursed its way to the etchings of the Diary. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a bright light shining from within Xylia’s satchel.
In a few seconds, I felt a rising heat on the palms of my hands. A chill shot down my spine when I heard the voices from my dream echoing through the forest.
“We are here.” I heard the voice of a young girl coming from my right. “Please, help us.”
My eyes circled the trees around me in an attempt to spot these children. Cries and screams merged in a dark symphony, causing my mind to think back on all the families that had perished at the attack on the Village of Tears.
In a matter of seconds, the Diary was enveloped by fire. I released it from my grasp, dropping it to the ground.
“Wake up!” I shot all my companions an alarming stare. “Wake up, all of you!” My heart pounded in my chest.
Arundel rubbed his face, lifting his head in my direction. In haste, he stood to his feet. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the Diary engulfed in flames.
“What is going on?” asked Demetre, raising his body from the ground. “What is that smell?”
Xylia still lay on the ground, immobile. I knelt next to her.
“Can you hear me?” My eyes were fixed on the light shining from her satchel. She did not answer. “Xylia?” I grasped her by the arms, shaking her body in an attempt to wake her. I removed the satchel from around her shoulder, tossing it next to the Diary. Arundel and Demetre approached me.
“Why won’t she wake?” Arundel bore his eyes into mine.
“I don’t know…” My voice trailed off when I caught sight of Xylia’s satchel taken by flames that were as blue as the sea. I found it strange that though the books burned, there was no sign that they were being destroyed.
My throat closed once I smelled a foul odor that lingered. The smell was strong, bringing tears to my eyes.
Xylia’s eyes shot open. Once she saw my face, she pushed me against the tree trunk, staring at all of us.
“Where is he?” Her chest heaved with heavy breaths. “Did he follow me?”
“Who are you talking about?” Demetre looked at her, confused.
Xylia threw her body against the tree trunk, wrapping her hands around her arms.
“He is going to find me.” She broke into tears. “He is coming for me.”
“Who is ‘he?’” I asked, fearing that I knew the answer to my question. I leaned in closer to her, resting my hand on her knees.
There was a grim stare in her eyes.
“Lucifer. I saw him.” She grasped my arm. “He tortured me. There was the sound of children crying. They said they burned because of me. I saw fire…” She furrowed her brow, looking at the burning books. “He is coming for us all.”