by Tacori Bean
I froze, “I-I would hardly say we are fighting.” I was stunned by what he said, not only by his sudden rudeness but also by his understanding of Journey’s magic, that the rest of us just started to understand the severity of, today.
He shook his head, “I say her magic is dangerous, you don’t even seem to notice it.”
“H-How did y-you know about her ma-magic?” I stuttered.
“I tried to tell you and Piper when she first came that her magic energy was stronger than anything I’ve felt before. It was even stronger than your brother’s and he has very strong dark magic, as you know.” He shuttered, “I know Piper can feel it too, but you know elves, they don’t take magic energy as an assumption, not that Piper is a normal elf.”
“I thought you were just being weary of her, because of what happened to the girl in your kingdom.”
“Well, you aren’t wrong,” He sighed, a heavy shadow crossing his face, “But my anger got the best of me, and just the thought of having something like that happening again…” Pausing, he glanced at me, “You surprised me by standing up for her when I rose my sword to her, I have never seen you so protective of someone like that before.”
“I knew that your anger would get the better of you, but you are correct, I would usually stay back from that kind of fight.... Yet it seemed like my body took control of itself. Just like it felt when I saved her in the forest. The thought of losing her, seemed... unbearable, and I didn’t even know her.” My face reddened.
There was a heavy silence between us. It was not every day that we would have such conversations.
“Damon, it is no secret that I am not as fond of Journey as you are, though I have come to stand her for your sake, but it seems to me that you care about her more than you realize,” He took a deep breath, “I’m not saying that you can’t care for her, but I don’t think she is safe to b-”
“That is enough, August!” I yelled. “The way you speak of Journey, is no way to speak of anyone. And a part of me starts to wonder if you really are worried for me, or just simply trying to right your regrets.”
His eyes flashed red as he stood, but it did not frighten me.
“How dare you! To think I’m here trying to protect you, and you're fighting it! Because of some… girl!”
“Some girl?” I rose, to meet his height. “That girl is the first good thing to come to this kingdom in the past two years. Whether you want to believe it or not, our job as guards is to protect those who need us. And my job as leader of this kingdom, is to accept her into our kingdom and protect her. Was that not the goal of our king?”
“Our king left! He left us to fend for ourselves, or die trying! He was nothing more than a selfish old man. And you and I both know that your feelings for Journey go much deeper than that of a guard.”
“And maybe they do! But I don’t see how that makes me any more incompetent to handle anything that is a threat to this kingdom.”
“I never said that! I merely stated that it is dangerous keeping someone who has no control or any desire to have control over magic, that is overwhelmingly powerful, this close to something that is so precious to so many families.”
“If you are so keen on the feelings of the townspeople, here is a question. If I have to keep protecting Journey from you, than who protects them?” I motion past him to the darkened town. “How many of them are willing to give her a chance, because of what the king had said. Have you ever thought that maybe you are second guessing everyone just because you second guess yourself?”
“Why did your mother have to be a scholar? You always seem to have words of wisdom for everyone...and yet you never take your own advice.” He stared at me directly in the eyes.
I backed down at the mention of my mother.
“What? Don't want to talk about it? Or is it that you are afraid of admitting that you left your dear mother, the one that raised you with love and care, to be dealt by the hand of your brother.”
“August,” I mumbled.
“Or maybe that you ran away from home. And you are ashamed to even show yourself in your own kingdom, so you hide. You hide behind cliffs in a kingdom of people who don’t even know you.”
“August, that's enough.”
“No wonder you want to defend Journey. She is keeping the same amount of secrets that you are. She is hiding every piece of her past, just like you!”
“Augustus!” I silenced him, “Did you ever think that maybe I wanted to leave my past behind me? That maybe, just maybe, I would have the chance to become whomever I wanted to be, instead of who my father wanted me to be. Perhaps Journey is the same. Perhaps she was looking for somewhere that she could be who she really wanted to be.”
He looked at me, sorrow coming to his eyes, completely erasing any trace of his anger. As much as he was in tune with others emotions, he had no idea how to understand or control his own.
“You got a fresh start. So why can’t we?” I asked, turning away from him.
“You really have fallen for her, haven’t you?” He choked.
I nodded my head.
I felt a hand placed firmly on my shoulder, “As much as I want to yell at you, for falling for the one girl that could kill us all with one wrong move…” He trailed off.
I glared back at him.
“I've never seen you so passionate about anything like you are right now. And even if she can't tell. Your eyes light up when you see her and your heart races when she talks. I guess reading people's emotions can be a blessing as much as a curse.”
I chuckled, awkwardly.
The night went on with ease, as usual, silence still hovering between us besides the occasional comment on the moon or stars.
“How did you know?” August asked after a while.
“Know what?”
“You've known Journey for all of two days, and yet it is clear that you would do anything for that girl. Why?”
I was silent for a moment before becoming serious, “Well, when I first saw her in the forest and I noticed the cipheron, my first thought was to help her just because she was in trouble, but when I saw her eyes it's like everything changed. They were so full of loneliness and confusion. And for a minute I saw myself staring into the eyes of the beast that I feared most.”
I cleared my throat,“...And when I realized that she saw the world in black and white, I wanted nothing more than to show her the sunset. As for how long I've known her, every hour I've spent with her. All the little moments. The sound of her voice, the first time she smiled, everything made up for all of the hours I had spent without her…”
August smiled and gave a small laugh, “To hear the way you speak of her, makes me think I have no idea how to read any emotion at all because right now, I sense all of your emotions at once.”
“That's kind of how it feels.” I laughed.
August leaned forward, “I still can’t tell her emotions as well as the others in the kingdom. She doesn’t open up, doesn’t let you see over those palace walls she has put up around her. I don’t know how you could be so patient with her.”
I listened intently until something else caught my attention, “August, be quiet.”
“Just hear me out.”
“You really need to be quiet,” I said, motioning to the window.
From the thick forest emerged two cloaked figures, silent as the night itself, making camp on the forest’s edge.
I looked at August, “bandits making camp in front of a kingdom?”
He shook his head.
“We should leave them till morning. There is no point in scaring them away if we are to ever figure out what they want. For all we know they could need help. Let's just keep an eye on them till morning falls.
~9~
EARLY MORNING FOG lingered over the dark figures of August and Damon, as Piper and I approached them.
Word had spread through the town of the strangers that arrived in the cover of night. Piper was asked to come in case one of the strangers was injured, and I was
able to accompany her.
We exchanged pleasantries, a smile coming to Damon’s face when the sun began to peak through the fog. He gave a small chuckle as the sun warmed his skin, and his lapis blue eyes sparkled. It always made his exterior more radiant when he smiled.
Damon and August hoisted the gate up on it’s chains, the splintered wood, creaking and scraping.
The strangers were waiting for us, for they emerged from behind the gate, shadowed by fog, where only a rough outline was seen.
The taller one, reached to his side, and my head snapped to Damon, who reached to his sword as an instinct.
My body moved lightning fast and latched onto his wrist that held his large sword. While I could feel my magic surfacing, every movement I made was not my own. It was like I was being controlled by some internal force, while my mind was nothing but a feverish cloud from the magic. Every step was swayed, my vision was hazy, and everything melted together into a fogged blur.
“Stop!” I yelled, in a voice not my own, that seemed to echo through our ears, “He is no threat.”
I didn’t fully grasp what was happening until I saw Damon wince in pain and try to pull his wrist from my grasp as he dropped his sword to the ground. The noise brought me back to my own thoughts, as I took back my own body from whatever unknown source had taken it. I dropped his wrist and froze, realizing, that I truly was a danger to everyone.
I took a step back and lifted my blood covered hand to my face, covering my trembling skin. Through tear blurred vision it was nothing but red blood soaking through his sleeve.
He grabbed his wrist, blood covering his other hand. No matter how much he tried to cover it a deep handprint was burned into his wrist. It broke my heart to think that he would forever be scarred by something I did. I hurt the first person I felt like I could trusted, and there was nothing I could do about it.
Piper quickly went to aid him as he let out a small cry of pain. August rushed over to me, blocking my view of Damon, and motioned to the strangers. Even in my panicked faze I tore my eyes from Damon, and tried to focus, but my mind kept picturing the wound burned into Damon’s clear skin.
We approached them, since it looked as though they didn't dare come to us after my outburst.
The fog had almost completely lifted to reveal the cloaked figures.
The taller one was thin, covered in bruises, dark circles evident under his bright lime green eyes. His dark brown almost black hair fell carelessly in his pale face. His cloak was pulled back revealing decent, but tattered clothing. On one hip was a sword and the other a red bounded book with gold celtic engravings. He slouched, almost like a cower and his eyes darted around at any sound or new sight.
The woman, who looked slightly older than her companion, stood straight up, glaring at each of us. She shared the same lime eyes as the boy, but while his were bright and curious, hers were narrowed and alert. Her iridescent, white hair hung straight as a board down to the crook of her back. She was covered with a nicer cloak, and in simple huntress clothing, consisting of tan pants and shirt with a green vest and tall boots. She had two glass-like daggers, one on each hip, which she had drawn at the same time Damon drew his sword.
Something told me she would be the one walking away from that fight.
August stepped in front of me and called to the strangers, “Speak, Travelers.”
The lady made no effort to speak, but stepped towards him. August quickly pulled his dual swords from his back and challenged her, “As we have already shown, we will not allow you to take another step towards this kingdom. You will not proceed with me here.”
She stopped, met his glare, and grinned at him, “I’m here on important business, but if it's a fight you want I'll give you one. Though two dual swords against two daggers hardly seems fair.” She toyed, her voice sharp.
Her hands began to glow and the crystal-like substance of her daggers grew in length to match August’s dual swords.
They went at each other back and forth. August was no match for her speed and agility. He stood steady as a rock in his fighting stances, but she moved agile like a predator antagonizing it's prey.
Finally she stopped and raised her swords to him, but he blocked her. She paused, smirked to herself and stepped back.
Her daggers shrunk back to their original size and she placed them back in her holsters.
“It's been awhile since I've seen a Dark Soldier hybrid.” She moved back with the boy, “You didn't have to fight me. We don't have mu-”
“Care to explain yourself? Or should I just arrest you now?” August breathed heavily, sweat beads coating his forehead, his hair dripping as it fell in his face, yet not a hair on the woman’s head was out of place, nor was her skin even damp with sweat.
I was right. She was going to walk away.
“I'm Milku. Also known as the White Witch-”
“A witch!” August’s expression was filled with disgust.
Milku rolled her eyes, “Humans and hybrids, all the same. Too quick to think of one's gift as a crime.”
The boy put a hand on her shoulder as August went to speak.
Quickly I stomped over to August and spoke before he had the chance, “I told you they were no threat!” I yelled.
His narrowed glare met mine, “Why do you think I would trust your word when your magic just proved how much of a danger you are to us all.”
“Stop using my magic as an excuse to ignore everything I say!”
“Or what?” August challenged, “ I'm not like Damon. I'm not your puppet.”
“And neither am I.” A voice called from behind us.
Damon walked toward us, his wrist bandaged and held to his chest, “Calling Lady Milku a witch is no different than the Evnock guards saying Journey was one. So hold your tongue August. And watch what you say about people when you think they aren’t listening.”
August flushed and stepped back.
It seems August says whatever he pleases whenever someone is not around, but is afraid to defy someone directly.
“Lady Milku, please continue.” Damon spoke with a gentle yet authoritative tone.
She nodded, “ This is my brother, Tristan. We’ve travelled a great distance to be here.”
“What does bring you here?” Damon inquired.
Milku placed her hand on Tristan’s shoulder, “My brother and I are descendants of Emerson the peacekeeper.”
Her next sentence caused everyone to gasp, and sent them wide-eyed with curiosity, because their beliefs had become real. Trembling, I only stood, realizing the feelings and secrets of a past that wasn't my own were surfacing and I couldn't do anything to stop it.
“We have come to speak to Althea.”
~~~
“So Emerson the peacekeeper, huh?” I looked at Tristan, who leaned next to me against the guard tower wall while the others talked nothing but gibberish to us.
He nodded.
This kid hasn’t said anything since he came.
Milku cleared her throat, “I was sent here to collect Althea and be her guide to the Dark Forest, where my aunt, Nola, lives. She has to speak with her.”
“No. I am going to save you the trouble and just say she will not go with you.” Damon stated.
Milku sighed, “I don’t think you understand the severity of the knowledge she could gain. There is something important that Nola needs to talk to her about.”
“Journey will go nowhere!” Damon yelled, “I will not have you come into my kingdom and demand to take her somewhere. We do not wish for something grave to happen to her.”
“Nola has important details about her past that she needs to understand. She has to know about it to fulfill the prophecy.”
The room was silent. No one knew what to say.
“P-Prophecy?” August finally asked.
Milku nodded, “The truth about it all. The news she wants to share is a life or death matter.”
“I still don’t-” Damon started.
“I�
��ll go.” I spoke up, looking at Damon, “I want to learn more about who these people think I am. And if it is truly about me, I deserve to know.”
They continued talking to each other, quietly.
I turned back to Tristan, “So how do you fit into this picture?” I tried to start conversation to distract myself.
He scratched the back of his head and chuckled, “I-It’s not w-what you think. Milku and I are only h-half siblings. Our mother was a descendant of Emerson. Though her father was a farmer and mine is a beast.”
He shivered as a breeze blew in from the window as a haunted look came into his eyes.
August stood wide-eyed at Tristan, “So you're a hybrid too?” He asked.
I was just about to get somewhere.
Tristan nodded, but seemed incredibly uncomfortable.
“But he is nothing like you.” Milku scowled as they went back to talking.
“Would you mind if I asked about your story. It amazes me that hybrids are just as common as any other species.”
“Can we walk?” He asked, motioning to the doorway of the tower, “I wouldn’t want to disturb them again.”
I nodded as we slipped silently onto the top of the wall.
“So what is this big secret you're hiding?” I asked.
“It's not a secret.” He looked away.
I tried to get him to look at me, “You were uncomfortable when August called you a hybrid. I don't know much about hybrids but I do know that they usually aren't that bashful about their lineage. At least not the ones I've met.”
He laughed slightly, “Have you ever heard of the Beast of Everwinter?” He spoke clear, even though his tone was shaky.
I shook my head.
“I come from Everwinter, a desolate town in the mountains of Frostforth, an island in the Resmen region. It was once a thriving town until my father, the beast, took refuge in one of the mountain caves. He began terrorizing the town, scaring the people and merchants away from their homes, using dark magic to do horrid things to the town and its people. After years of search parties, mobs, and trying to rid him from the town, the few people left in the town enlisted the help of a woman, they heard was descended from Emerson. So my mother took their offer and headed for the mountains with the townspeople's heeded warnings in the back of her mind. What was actually there was no beast. My father was a cursed soul. He was human, but a curse made him look and act like a beast. None of the old townsmen would understand. Up in those mountains, magic was unknown and untrusted to them. That's why it took so long for them to use magic against magic…” He trailed off, distracted by something in the distance.