“And believe it or not your leaders are in allegiance with this revolt leader,” Cam added, addressing the crowd before reciprocating Silva’s icy glare.
“We will settle the fire and take our leave. Anyone who wishes tojoin us may,” Peter said. For alongmoment, no one spoke. Only the crackling of fire broke the tense silence. No one made a move to join them. "Alright then," Peter said at last. The guards took up their buckets of water and began to douse the flames which had spread. Cam and Peter stood watching Silva and Kazbek warily as Fiera, Caleb, and Kane doused their inflamed torches and aided the guards in ending the fire.
Cam caught the tear-filled eyes of Adria and Mista. After a moment, Adria slowly stepped forward. “I’m sorry Mother,” she said in a shaky voice. “I cannot stand on your side.” With her head held high, Adria left her mother’s side and joined Cam. Silva’s jaw dropped.
“I can’t live without Cam,” Mista declared resolutely. She stomped away from her parents.
Once the fire had been put out, the group walked over ashes and burnt wood into the forest. They tread carefully, looking over their shoulders to prevent being attacked from behind.
“Well that worked just great,” Fiera said loudly when they were out of earshot of the clearing. Cam felt the hope in her chest fraying away, replaced by a burning discontentment. For so long, the people of Medulla had lived under the conniving influence of leaders who had spent their lives manipulating them. All of them.
“Me…”
They deserved a chance to escape, join the side they thought was truly right. Cam glanced to Fiera. To Adria and Mista.
At least her sisters were not lost.
“Wait!”
Cam spun to see an older man hobbling towards them, clad in warm clothing of light green and brown shades. The group ceased their movement to allow him to catch up. “May, may I join you?” he pleaded through panted breaths.
“Of course,” Caleb replied, stepping forward to place his hand on the man’s shoulder.
“Wewant to cometo!”exclaimeda woman, carrying a young child. She was accompanied by seven other people who varied from youth to old age. Cam’s lips turned from a tight line to a hopeful smile. Their work was not all lost after all. Cam’s heart sank somewhat when the woman added, “After you tell me what exactly is going on.”
“In due time,” Peter told her. “We need to leave.” “Where are we going?” she asked.
“Cinis Lumen,” Kane replied, looking far off into the forest. The woman looked as though she would accept the conditions and finally, followed after them. They trudged towards the borders of the realm.
Twigs cracked as a dozen pairs of feet scrambled over debris and what seemed now as nature’s obstacles. They were sure to be pursued. With the way Silva and Kazbek had been acting, their plan would not go down without a fight of their own.
There were few in the Medulla Realm who had ever been in need of learning to fight. That was always the job of the southern, sun-kissed warriors, but now the society of Mirabelle had drifted into its separate worlds and each realm had to defend their own people. The guards were merely villagers. The real threats of pursuers were the Tree Jumpers.
Cam glanced up among the branches as they moved swiftly through the maze of trees. She did not detect anyone but then, the Tree Jumpers were experts at camouflaging. She had learned about the Tree Jumpers through Fiera who would have been a proficient one if only Silva and Kazbek hadn’t restrained her from doing so.
“Watch out!” the old man shouted, pointing with a shaking finger towards the towering branches. An arrow made of wood with a metal tip whizzed past Cam and buried into the soft bark of a thick tree trunk.
The Jumpers were upon them. “Come on! Move faster!” Cam and Kane shouted simultaneously. Peter whisked a small child into his arms and broke into a run.
“Cam, help me,” he panted. He almost threw the child onto her back as he helped the woman carrying the toddler. The child bounced on Cam’s back and presently began to cry.
“Not right now,” she groaned inwardly. With the weight of the child on her back and loose stones scattered on the path, she almost tripped several times. She was at the back of the line of fleeing rebels when a greater weight descended suddenly upon her. She could barely see through tiny holes and yearned to scratch her skin. She found that a rope net had descended upon her. The child was crying obnoxiously now, alarming Peter who whirled around. Once seeing the situation, he dropped the child into the arms of its mother and came to Cam’s aid.
He looked thoroughly annoyed. How many times today had she hindered his plan? Nevertheless, he worked quickly to cut through the net. When Cam was freed, he pulled her up and gathered the child beside her before taking full speed. Cam caught up quickly with the rest of the group headed by Kane with Fiera at his side. They were nearing the borders. The Jumpers had ceased shooting but were stealthily keeping up above them.
The mid-morning sunlight was revealing the vast meadows ahead, outside of the Medulla Realm gates. Cam could see her and Peter’s horses still grazing peacefully. Once they left Medulla, perhaps the Jumpers wouldn’t follow any longer. What would they do if they were pursued? They would not make it very far. Even the strongest could not run all the way to the south. Cam imagined being taken back to the cage. She surmised that they would most likely be killed rather than locked up.
The thought pushed Cam forward, through the thickness of trees into sunlit meadows. They had escaped Medulla, but the Jumpers had not given up.
An agonizing scream followed by a cry of pain pierced the air.
Cam had no time to discover who had fallen victim of the first fatal arrow. She whirled, and her eyes grew wide as the Jumpers landed quietly on their feet in the high grass.
Cam stepped backward, her boot landed in something of sticky substance. Glancing at the ground, she found herself standing in a pool of blood
which gushed from an open gash in Kane’s chest.
A cry escaped her throat, and her knees gave way beneath her. His dark eyes shuttered as he strained to peer up at her.
The blood…
It was so much...
Flowing so fast...
The next instant, Fiera dropped to her knees in his pool of blood, grasping at him desperately.
“Let me go, Fiera,” he whispered weakly. “And Lia, tell...” His lips turned into a small smile as his eyelids drooped, his words hanging limp from his mouth.
Cam felt her limbs go numb.
Her head grew heavy, and she slumped forward. Roaring filled her ears and her vision swam.
She was seeing a dark valley, and Fiera was unraveling.
Except the only thing true about what she was seeing was her sister.
Losing someone else.
Losing a friend.
The light was fading from Kane’s eyes, and his bronze skin was turning ash white.
“Fiera we have to go,” Cam managed to rasp. She only knew she was going to say the words after they had fallen from her lips.
The Jumpers were upon them. Nows drawn…
Cam grabbedher sister’s forearms andmadean effort to pry her from Kane. Finally, Fiera allowed Cam pull her up but she would not stand firmly. She was weak, almost sagging against Cam. Cam pushed Fiera forcibly up and thrust bow and arrows into her arms.
In that moment, Cam realized how Kane had died. Through the deep sadness in Fiera's eyes and the instant flashback of what she had caught in the glare of sunlight. She remembered Kane stepping in front of Fiera to receive the arrow meant for her. Cam felt suddenly sick inside, as if roots were surging through her stomach.
Kane, his people, and his home taught the value of bravery, but not all of them taught the heart of what bravery truly was. Bravery wasn’t about being well balanced physically and mentally to fight. It was about having the courage to stand up for someone else out of love. Love transformed them into new people. It ignited a flame that burned brightly and showed the whole world that t
hey were not ashamed of their love.
And now, Cam saw that Kane was an example of this. He sacrificed himself for someone else. Through his death, Cam realized what his home truly valued.
"Get the slowest on horseback!" Peter ordered. He must have been uninjured, for the next moment, he was clutching at Cam's arm in an attempt to shake her from her transfixed state. "We need to leave." His expression was grim when his hand clasped hers, and he pulled her towards the rest of their company. She knew now that she could trust him, that he was not corrupt. They had escaped. They were on the run. One of them had died. Cam only wished they would have buried him properly.
“All the Watchers have, in their own words, prophesied the coming of the Savior. I foresaw some myself. The facts are gathered and are contained within this chest. Keep them. Teach them to your people. More Spirit Followers are found in your nation than in Mirabelle. It will not be long now before He is born in human form.”
-Excerpt from a letter from Daniel Adriel in Gnosi to Queen Hana and King Azariah in Nazeria months before his death.
Thirty
Lia was striding ashen-faced towards Cam as they neared the base
of the hollowed volcano. She was nearly out of breath when she reached the returning nexus. “It’s been days!” she exclaimed. Her eyes flitted behind Cam at the minuscule number of people. Confusion crossed Lia’s countenance. “What happened? Where are the others?” She pushed Cam and Fiera apart. Then the question that felt like a blow to the gut…
“Where is Kane?” Cam heard the question clanging in her mind before Lia spoke the words.
“They didn’t come,” Fiera replied, detest coating her words.
“Why?” Lia inquired. Cam only walked on. Adria held onto Cam’s arm as they approached the volcano and began to ascend on the Lumenbirds.
Once inside the volcano, Lia said, “Please, tell me.”
“We know one thing for certain: We cannot return to our home. At least, for thetimebeing,” Adria said with asurprisingtone of contempt. Cam paused for a moment, gazing into Lia’s perplexed face.
“We've been betrayed.” Her hand dropped from where she had been rubbing a sore spot on her neck. Cam trudged to the side door in the volcano's wall before anyone could insist on a further explanation.
Although she was exhausted, Cam still felt obligated to go to Tyron and tell him of Kane. Of all the things she knew she was, she disliked being the bearer of bad news. With this thought, she collapsed into bed within her designated cavern. Her eyes roved the ceiling. She watched a dance of shadows and flickering light and did not consider the time. She did not consider how long she remained awake or that sleep was not going to come.
Cam must have slept far longer than normal because when she
awoke it was early morningaccording to Adria. “Mother and Father spokeofyouafter theguards tookyouaway,” shetold Cam solemnly as the latter slipped into fresh clothing. Adria gazed at Cam with saddened eyes. Cam realized that her younger sister was still in a state of partial shock. She waited for her to continue. “They were bickering. Silva didn’t want you imprisoned. She was rebuking Kazbek for commanding such a move. She said something about you being part of their ‘purpose.’ I have hardly any inclination as to what that means.” Cam bit the inside of her mouth as she mulled over Adria’s news. It made no sense to her. “Where are we going to go after all of this?” Adria asked solemnly.
“I do not know yet," Cam replied dumbly as she plopped onto the bed beside Adria and pulled a shirt over her head. "The future is far too muddled right now." The two said nothing more for a few moments. The silence was not uncomfortable, however. Cam was grateful for Adria's presence. In that moment, Cam made a vow to protect her sisters. She would watch over them from here on out, no matter what became of them.
Cam skipped breakfast that morning and trudged through the underground realm, her eyes peeled for Tyron or even Lia. This realm radiated a different feel now that the Imber Fel Realm inhabitants arrived while she had been sleeping. Their blue clothing and calming personalities mixed with the vibrant world of Cinis Lumen. Cam did not notice anyone she knew until she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her. She looked up to see Lia.
"Cam," she said softly. "I've been waiting to hear your account. Fiera says she'd rather you tell me."
“It’s rather long,” Cam sighed. She would have been happy to tell Lia as she had done before, but she wasn’t ready to speak of the Spirit Followers yet. Though she was sure Peter had answers as to how they planned to restore the nation, she had yet to speak to him.
“Well ,whatever it is, Tyron and Heiron are waiting for you. They expect an explanation. By the way, where is Kane? I haven’t seen him since your return.” A pang of sorrow penetrated through Cam as she lifted her gaze reluctantly to meet Lia’s. Lia’s widened, and she grasped at Cam’s arm.
Cam swallowed hard. “I am so sorry, Lia…” Lia’s hand fell away limply, and she walked off, her shoulders slumping dejectedly.
“Tell Lia I love her,” tumbled through Cam’s mind. When she turned to call after Lia, she found that the young woman had melted into the crowd.
Cam weaved her way through the Great Hall around the noon hour to find Heiron and Tyron in a nearby cavern to discuss the matters at hand. The Great Hall was filled with the familiar noise of the Realm inhabitants’ chatter, laughter, and shouting. They were intermingled with Imber Fel’s members who kept to their own circles.
One table was occupied by the Medulla Realm dwellers that had come with her; ten people, two of which were children, and one an older man. The others were a mother and a handful of young persons. Adria and Mista had joined them, knowing them well. “There should be more,” Cam murmured to herself.
She spotted Caleb walking in company with Glista who was chattering lively. Fiera was nowhere to be seen. Cam assumed she was within her own cavern resting. Cam found herself glancing around for Peter, but he too didn't seem to be in the vicinity.
Cam pushed the heavy, black doors of the entrance apart and stepped into the torch-lit corridor. Eventually, she found the cavern Lia had directed her to. She entered quietly and found that the only persons occupying the room were the two leaders. Tyron motioned Cam to sit across from them around a small stone table.
“Where is my son?” Tyron demanded gravely. Cam barely met his eyes. His gray iris bore into her with penetrating heat, not hatred, but deep, firm concern that frightened her.
“I will begin with our arrival in Medulla if it pleases you.”
“Please do.” Tyron sat back and folded his arms across his chest. Heiron was seated calmly beside him.
In the next few moments, Cam spilled the entire account and wondered whether or not Tyron would blame the Spirit Followers. She expected him to be enraged, apart from Kane’s death, that he was ever even brought into such a situation. She realized that the revolt was a matter of conflict between Apollyon and the Spirit Followers. There was no reason to bring the rest of the nation into it.
Tyron did not express shock by the point Cam told of Silva and Kazbek’s betrayal. When she finally forced the words out to tell of Kane’s demise, he held himself in a surprising manner, calm and collected. His eyes, however, were burning with fury and something more distant…
Sadness couldn’t even describe a shred of what Cam saw simmering there.
“The Spirit Followers are dead,” he said tersely when Cam had finished.
She shook her head. “How do you know they’re alive?” Heiron asked.
In order to prove they were alive, Cam knew she would have to blow Peter’s cover as well as Lord Caddell’s and Amelia’s. Amelia made her promise not to tell anyone of the Spirit Followers. But she had already mentioned them, so why not continue?
“I met three of them when I was first at the Royalty Realm. I didn’t know anything about them until-”
Tyron cut her off. “Which three?”
She stuttered for a moment. Should she give their names? They
slippedout beforeshecoulddeviseadifferent plan. “LordCole Caddell, Amelia, andand a young man.”
“Peter? The young man you brought with you?” Tyron inquired. Cam nodded slowly. Tyron sat in silence as did Herion and Cam for a long moment. “I knew there was something familiar about you,” Tyron said at last. He rose and circled the table to stand over Cam. He peered down his nose to examine her with arms crossed over his steel chest. Cam shifted under his gaze. “You’re Cassia’s daughter.”
“I do not know who my mother is,” Cam replied with full honesty. She had never bothered to ask Amelia or anyone else amidst all that was occurring. Nor had she cared then.
“She married Lord Caddell after many months in which she andthoseshewas travelingwith settledin thenorth.” Tyron paused to draw in his breath. “Sheand her sister were both friends of mine. They dwelled in this realm at the time when I was Prince and heir. Upon her eighteenth birthday, she and her sister moved south to an old dwelling situated in the forest.”
Tyron paused. He circled the table once again and continued while staring at the wall.
“I knew full well the actions of the Spirit Followers. At first, I did not wish Cassia involve herself with such a group, but there was no stopping her. She joined. The attack happened, and she died. And now Apollyon and his allies desire the rest of them to be obliterated.”
Cam was rather surprised that Tyron had once known her mother. She wondered another thing. Why did he not appear to be in deep sorrow over the loss of his son? "Why would Silva and Kazbek be so quick to join him, though? What do they have against the Spirit Followers?"
“No doubt that they have been deceived or promised something in return,” Heiron replied gravely.
“What actions must be taken next?” Cam asked after a moment of silence in which each of them considered the situation. Cam was predicting that Tyron would withdraw from his earlier plan altogether. Heiron too would want to avoid war if possible.
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