"We'll cut our losses today and make up for it tomorrow," he conceded. "The weather may cooperate for once." The swirls of our heavy breathing billowed around us as we considered his words. None of us felt hopeful that the weather would be any better tomorrow. Nothing was ever better on the mountain. My head pounded in the thin air and I found it difficult to stand up straight. It was a struggle to put one foot in front of the other.
"No!" Tory protested, "I can do it, I can keep going!" Her voice was as panicky as mine. She didn't want to be the one to hold us up. Malik moved toward her and took her weight from Caden's shoulders.
"It's not you Tory," Caden answered. "Kaia won't go any farther without Ajax and Balor and we're all worn out. Believe me, none of us wants to keep going."
"There's nowhere to camp," Malik pointed out, "we're on the side of a mountain at the moment and unless you want to camp in the middle of the path and hope we don't tumble off in the night, we have to keep going."
"Actually, there's a small overhang just ahead where the rocks curve inward. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a cave," Caden admitted, "but we'll be sheltered from the weather. It's not ideal, but it will get us through the night." It sounded depressing, as everything else on the mission had been so far, but if Caden thought it could be done, then it could be done.
"Let's do it then. I need to find Ajax and Balor." I urged them into action and followed behind as they assisted Tory between them. We made our way to the area Caden had found. Describing it as small was a stretch, it was more of a depression in the rocks rather than a true opening. There were only a few meters of space underneath a shelf of rock. We would have to sleep sitting up with our backs against the rocks, legs straight out in order to fit the six of us and all of our gear. My heart would have sunk even lower, except nothing mattered to me but getting to Ajax and Balor. If there weren't six of us sleeping here tonight…I squelched the thought before it could manifest itself.
Caden paced back and forth in the space, judging the dimensions. He began clearing the snow in an effort to create more room. Tory found a spot to rest so Malik could help Caden. All I could do was stand there, feeling the minutes tick by while my world crumbled without Ajax. I needed to get to them and make it back here before the sun went down. The thought of the two of them lost somewhere out in the storm frightened me to the point of uselessness.
"I need to go, Caden. Right now." My voice was calm, but inside I was anything but. He stopped what he was doing and gave me a long look.
"I'll go," he started to say, but I shook my head.
"You know how to make an airtight shelter better than any of us. We need a place to come back to. Malik has to heal Tory's leg." I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently, "I'll be okay. You know I can do this. I can bring them back." He looked down into my eyes with affectionate concern. Caden watched out for me like my brother would, protecting me when he thought I needed it, whether I wanted him to or not.
He put both of his hands on my shoulders, looking away from me momentarily, the way a person does when he wants to say one thing, but ultimately says another.
"No, Kaia!" he shook me. "I don't want to send you out there alone!"
"You have no choice!" I pleaded. "I'm going. I'll bring them back!"
"You have to hurry, you hear me? Take my orb, it will help lead the way in case it gets dark before you get back."
"No," Malik sidled up to us. "She should take mine." He placed his orb in my hands. "My orb will take you right to them, no messing around."
I knew I could count on Malik's orb; it had already found me once in the ruined city. He lifted my hands and gazed into the dull blue glow of his orb. Suddenly, the inside of it exploded with bright blue light, pulsated twice and receded into a deep blue glow.
"When I want to find someone, I just picture the person and project their image into the orb. But this is my orb," he explained, looking into its core. "When you use it, it might not be so generous, and it will only come back to me, understand? Only me. When it's time, look into its center and picture my face. It will lead you back." I nodded at him, processing his instructions.
"Okay, Malik, I understand, I can handle it." I tried to be as reassuring as I could. I was anxious to leave. I pulled up my hood, keeping a hold on his orb, then stepped out of the shelter and back into the harsh weather.
I held my orb in my left hand and Malik's in my right. I needed my orb for strength and I hoped there was still some left in it. My sphere radiated with warmth. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind, allowing the energy to spread through my body, calling on my orb to give me strength and courage, and the ability to find what I had ventured out here for. I thought of Balor and the familiar, warm sensation in my orb intensified, spreading up the length of my arm and into my shoulder. Next, I pictured Ajax, his raven hair and handsome, serious face. I imagined him smiling, his hair tousled in his eyes, and his full lips parting to let out a great big laugh. He didn't laugh nearly enough, but hid his emotions behind those eyes, rarely letting me in. The image of him happy made me feel lighter somehow. In a rush, my orb began to flood me with an energy I could not explain. Within mere seconds, the orb was vibrating, and the sensation of heat intensified, morphing into a lightning like current. It surged into my chest and back, speeding down my tired limbs and muscles, spreading energy to every part of my body. I stood perfectly still, realizing I was completely rejuvenated. There were no aches or pains and the weariness had receded. I felt strong, where a moment before I felt weak with fatigue.
I returned my orb to my pocket and focused on Malik's. I concentrated again on Ajax's face, and let go of the orb. The second I released it, it spun to life in front of me. An explosion of blue and white sparks ignited in its core, and it made a deep, rumbling sound, almost like a growl. The orb had a raw, animalistic quality, much like its owner. It flew away from me into the wind. I followed swiftly, grateful for the energy my orb had provided.
The orb flew over rocks and large snowdrifts, but I was able to keep up. I concentrated on the light from the orb's internal explosion, maneuvering myself around all the obstacles in my path. I was an Athlete and I could endure; I knew I had it in me. Even when my breath became ragged, I did not slow. My athletic ability carried me forward.
The blue sphere took off up a steep, rocky incline and I pursued it. I watched it disappear over the summit and I pushed harder to keep up with it, struggling against the wind and up the incline. I stumbled slightly in the snow, but regained my footing as I arrived at the climax. As I stepped onto more even ground, I saw Ajax and Balor a few meters ahead, just beyond the base of the hill. My heart jerked violently in my chest. Their two figures were huddled close together. Malik's orb already revolved around their figures, having reached its target. It flew about them giving off the same blue, pulsating aura as when Malik engaged it back at camp. A soft glow encompassed my fellow Crusaders the way I imagined the light of the universe encompassed a solar system. Ajax and Balor were twin planets; the orb was their strange sun.
Inside of me, all of the pieces that had broken apart when Ajax was missing fitted right back into place when I saw him in front of me. It felt like the first time I had seen him back at the University, in his mother's office, when everything inside of me felt like home again.
Ajax was kneeling in the deep snow, sitting on his heels with Balor's body propped against his chest. He had positioned himself with his back against the pelting snow and wind providing a protective barrier between the elements and Balor. Ajax, however, was left exposed to the weather. His hands were just inside Balor's coat and I could see the glow of their two orbs against Balor's chest. Ajax was trying to keep Balor warm.
I ran haphazardly down the hill in my haste to reach them. Still, it took me longer than I could stand, the downhill route as challenging as the uphill. When I reached the bottom, Ajax's head was up. He was surveying the scene and the orb circling about them. He looked past the orb, scanning the mountainside. Thr
ough the orb's glow, I could see them clearly, but the falling snow and oncoming twilight made it impossible for him to see me.
"Malik!" he called out, his voice hoarse, but elated, "Over here brother! Hurry, Bay needs help!" He shouted blindly into the wind.
I wanted to cry out to him but I couldn't find my voice. I was overcome with relief at seeing him. I stepped into the ring of light, dropping to my knees in front of him.
"Not Malik," I breathed, placing my hands delicately on his wind burned cheeks. My insides burned at the sight of him. "Are you okay?" I choked, trying to control my emotions. My eyes scanned over him briefly, checking to see if, indeed, he was okay.
He stared at me in shock, but his surprise was replaced immediately with an emotion I couldn't identify. Next to him, Balor didn't move. He didn't seem conscious.
"Kaia," Ajax whispered fiercely. His deep blue eyes sought out mine and he held my gaze. Before I knew it, he pulled me into him. He wrapped one arm around me, breathing me in. I threw my arms around him, around both of them, and let him embrace me. I thought my heart would burst and I had to fight back tears.
"Kaia," he repeated. The sound of his voice was calmer and he pulled back to look me in the eyes. He leaned in, until our foreheads touched, then cupped his hand behind the hood of my jacket, holding my face to his. His mouth found mine, kissing me softly while the wind screamed around us. I had one arm wrapped tightly around him as I leaned in to kiss him back. It was the best feeling in the world.
Stay with me, he said in my head, holding me tight. He kissed me again, longer this time, and more urgently. My lips tingled when they touched his, as if an electric current ignited between us. I could feel him all around me, his feelings pouring out of him and into me and I didn't want it to end, but the ground rumbled beside me as Balor began to stir. I pulled away from Ajax as Balor knocked into me.
"Kaia," Balor whispered, his voice thick with exhaustion. "I knew you were here. I can feel your energy all around me. I can feel it!"
Ajax and I exchanged a knowing smile and got to our feet. We each took one of Balor's arms and heaved him up to a standing position.
"What's going on here Bay?" I asked him, taking a good look into his eyes. They were slightly unfocused but he seemed to be regaining his composure.
"It's amazing," he looked from me to Ajax, "I can feel her energy pouring into me. It's all around me. How did you do that? I feel so much better."
"What happened?" I asked the two of them. My skin still tingled and I wasn't at all surprised that Balor could feel my energy. I could feel every single cell alive inside of me. It's because of Ajax! I wanted to shout, He kissed me! I had to force myself not to fall into girlish fits of laughter. I needed to be as serious as the situation was, when all I wanted to do was think about Ajax and the feeling of his mouth on mine.
"It's the altitude," Ajax answered, meeting my eyes. He stood on one side of Balor and I stood on the other. My cheeks colored when he looked at me. He didn't reign in his feelings, he continued to let them flow freely, and they filled me up like a glass. It was love he was letting out, pure and wonderful, and it felt like sunshine inside of me. There were other feelings too, like desire, which made my cheeks turn an even darker shade of red. I wondered if my feelings felt the same way to him. It was probably a good thing we were separated by Balor.
"And it's so freaking cold!" Balor chimed in, his voice growing stronger by the moment. "My thoughts kept getting jumbled the higher we went and I just wanted to stop. I know we veered off course, and then I sat down in the snow and Ajax couldn't get me back up."
"You sound pretty good now, Bay," I pointed out. We began to move, a step at a time while he found his legs again.
"It's you!" he insisted, "You came to get us and I swear I feel better. You're giving me your energy. How is that happening?"
I didn't have a clear answer for him and he didn't push the point. He seemed content to simply soak up my excess energy and regain his strength. The light was fading fast and we needed to get a move on. I didn't know how long my euphoric feeling would last.
I pushed everything else from my mind and called up the image of Malik. The picture came easier than I expected. I held onto it, sharpening it in my mind. I focused on his face, his smooth, dark skin, the small scar across his eyebrow. I concentrated on his high cheekbones, strong wide jaw and brilliant smile. His orb flew from my hands and moved ahead of us at a slow and purposeful pace, like a stealthy predator that tracks its prey over a long distance. Thankfully, it moved quite differently from the beast I'd pursued here. The orb was a bright orange now; bright enough that we were able to keep our own orbs inside our clothing for heat. To my surprise, it led us along an easier path, avoiding the difficult terrain I had crossed in the first place. The path was longer in the new direction, but we saved a tremendous amount of time by not having to drag Balor's muscular build over the hills and rocks. His altitude sickness and fatigue, while certainly much better, still plagued him, and we wouldn't have stood a chance if the path proved too treacherous.
As darkness laid claim to the mountain, we found our way back to the shelter. Caden stood at its mouth, passing the glow of Malik's orb as he sprinted out to meet us.
"You made it!" he greeted us, rushing over to help with Balor. He and Ajax led him inside, while I followed.
"Did you doubt me, Caden?" I smiled at him. He stopped what he was doing and took a second look at me.
"You're glowing," he said, a look of confusion crossing his features. "You look completely energized," he added.
I looked around the shelter, avoiding his observation. Caden had secured two canvas tents across the opening, keeping the weather at bay. His orb and Tory's sat on the ground as a kind of campfire, emitting warmth. I added my own, and Malik's, then Ajax added his and Balor's. It was almost warm in there.
"She is glowing," Balor pointed out. "She's bursting with energy. I felt it as soon as she found us. It re-energized me as well."
Balor went and collapsed against the wall next to Tory, who had her head against the rocks and her legs stretched out in front of her. Malik had healed her as best he could in our absence, and her leg was bound with healing tape, a thick blanket over her lap. It was much warmer under the shelter, but cramped and uncomfortable. Malik bent over Balor with his healing supplies and brought him some tea to drink.
Caden walked over to help me off with my jacket and get me settled. Before he could touch me, Ajax draped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. I turned my head to smile at him, feeling a tingly sensation throughout my body.
"I'll help her," Ajax told him, his voice light for once. He sounded as happy as I felt. Around us, our fellow Crusaders stopped moving to stare, surprised, at the two of us.
"What exactly happened out there?" Malik asked, looking back and forth between us.
"It's like Balor said," Ajax answered him. "She showed up and brought us her energy."
"I think maybe it was the two of us together," I admitted, looking at Ajax. "He-," I hesitated, not sure what he would want me to reveal. "I felt better when I found them. Maybe they energized me."
"You mean Ajax energized you?" Malik had a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"I'm not going to be separated from her anymore," Ajax proclaimed.
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach.
"Really?" Caden interjected, not as pleased with the turn of events. "You mean all she had to do was risk her life on the side of a mountain for you to come to your senses?"
Ajax shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, but didn't anger over Caden's retort. "I'm sorry Kaia," he said, leaning his forehead into mine. "I'm very sorry. I love you." He said it just like that, in front of all the others.
Once again, it grew quiet in the shelter. I put my arms around him and held on, letting my feelings surround him.
I love you more, I told him silently.
Stay with me, he said again, the same words he'd said when I found him earlier.
"Awesome!" Balor spoke up. "Another set of lovebirds."
The others laughed and Ajax and I broke apart, springing back into action to help Malik and Caden. It was hard to let go of him, hard not to feel nervous he might shut down his feelings once the danger of the day had passed, but I still had work to do.
I helped Caden warm some soup over the orbs. He knelt in front of Balor, getting him nourishment first. I brought some to Tory who smiled brightly at me. She was weary, but her eyes held a little less pain.
"It feels great, doesn't it?" she whispered. I squeezed her hand.
"It feels wonderful," I admitted freely. It felt nothing like when Jason Paris was close, or when he had kissed me. Those memories faded, paling in comparison to the way I felt when it was Ajax feeling love for me.
I sipped my own broth, letting the warmth slide down my throat. The concoction provided the nutrients I needed while also helping with the altitude sickness. It warmed us and provided a renewed sense of well-being. Our sleeping bags lay opened up on the ground, and we sat on top of them, cushioning our behinds from the cold rocks underneath. We huddled under thick blankets, the six of us lined up in sitting position, first Caden, then Balor, me, Ajax, Tory, and Malik on the far end. We hunched together, trying to keep warm while the weather raged outside.
It had been a long, awful day of trekking up the mountain, with the altitude affecting us all. After filling our bellies, we settled down to try and find some rest. I lay my head in the crook of Ajax's arm, wishing I was back at the University and alone with him in his room. I wondered, would he still turn his back on me when we returned home?
The Energy Crusades Page 26