Kitreena's shining hand touched his shoulder. "It's all right, Arus," she said softly. "You tried your best. I know you did."
He shook his head regretfully as he wrapped her in his arms, the light of her body providing soothing warmth that seemed to rejuvenate his weary limbs. "I'm a hypocrite," he whispered, forcing down sobs. "I told you not to kill F'Ledro only to go and finish off Olock."
"You're not a hypocrite," she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. "F'Ledro surrendered to me. Olock didn't follow his lead. You did what you had to do to protect not only me, but all of the others that he could've hurt in the future had he escaped."
The mention of F'Ledro brought another question to Arus' mind, but it was answered as soon as he looked up. The little Kyrosen was sitting about ten paces away, arms bound against his body by Kitreena's whip, head hung between his knees. There was no indication that he might be planning an escape, but only a fool took his eyes away from a Kyrosen prisoner. "We've got to get him back to the Refuge somehow. It's going to be difficult—" A look at Kitreena's face startled him, and he stepped back to get his first real look at her fully Morphed appearance.
The first thing that struck him were her eyes; they had reverted to their normal state, albeit more vibrant than ever. The light that had previously obscured her body was now more of an outline, and if possible, whiter than freshly fallen snow. Also absent was the red aura, replaced by the slithering streaks of electricity that trailed her every movement. Her new visage reflected the true nature of her soul, a spirit cleansed of the lust for revenge that had tainted her since that fateful day so many years ago. She smiled sheepishly at him and kicked her feet, blood turning her cheeks to crimson. "Arus, you're staring," she giggled.
"I'm proud of you," he said at last. "How do you feel?"
"I've got so much power at my disposal that I don't know what to do with it all," she admitted. "I can command the winds, control fire and ice and water with less than a fraction of a thought, and if Damien is right, then I will someday learn to become one with the elements themselves. I'll be able to perform feats far greater than any sorcerer, manipulations of nature that most men dare not dream of." She paused and looked away, her face blushing further. "Thank you, Arus. Without your understanding and support, I don't think I would've ever learned to control my abilities. Or my feelings."
The implant's sensors showed three life signs exiting the lift, and the repetitive echo of rapid footfalls floated from the corridor. Damien and Doman rounded the corner first, trailed by a green-skinned woman with narrow wings and a shimmering jewel embedded in her forehead. Damien's eyes lit up when he saw the two. "What are you two doing—" He nearly stumbled to a halt when his eyes fell upon Kitreena. "What . . . happened?"
Kitreena spoke as though there was nothing unusual about her appearance, but tiny curves at the corners of her mouth gave her away. "We've managed to capture F'Ledro," she replied, motioning toward the bound man several paces away. "We were not so fortunate with Olock, I'm afraid."
That made Arus hang his head in shame despite what Kitreena had said to encourage him. "I apologize, Damien. I wanted to take him alive, but—"
"Don't apologize," he said with a wave of his hand. "You can't keep kicking yourself for the mistakes of other people, Arus. You did what you had to do to stop a violent and dangerous man. You didn't act out of vengeance, anger, greed, or hatred. You admit that you didn't want to kill him at all! That speaks volumes about your character, Arus, and it means your heart is in the right place."
"I just . . ." Arus shook his head with a heavy sigh, "I don't want to be like them."
"You're not," Kitreena told him, taking his hand into hers. "The mere fact that you value the lives of the men who enslaved you and forced you to do terrible things against your will is evidence that you're not like them. Don't dwell on this any longer, Arus. Even Eaisan killed men when there was no alternative. What's important is that you fight for a noble cause, and that's precisely what you are doing."
Doman had lifted F'Ledro to his feet and was escorting the Kyrosen over to the rest of the group. "We'll need to get this one back to the Refuge along with the High Lady Almatha."
Arus and Kitreena both spoke in unison. "Who?"
After opening his mouth, Damien paused and looked at Kitreena once again. "We have much to go over, it seems," he said, smiling as he removed the communicator from his belt. "But it will have to wait for the time being." Using the device, he summoned Samas and Orchi to the hangar before continuing. "Doman, I want you, Samas, and Orchi to escort the High Lady and our Kyrosen prisoner back to the Refuge. I needn't remind you that F'Ledro is a Mage, and that's why I'm sending Samas and Orchi along with you. I want them watching him at all times."
Doman removed a thick leather cord from the pouch at his belt before loosening Kitreena's whip. "Of course, Sir. We shall see them both back safely." F'Ledro made no effort to escape as Doman unwound Kitreena's weapon, then tied his hands behind his back with the leather cord. Kitreena coiled her weapon and returned it to her belt. She was about to turn away when the Kyrosen spoke.
"Kitreena," he said softly. "Thank you. For sparing me, I mean."
There was a split second of shock on the young lady's face when Arus thought her jaw might hit the floor. She regained her composure just as quickly, though, and faced him with a blank stare. "Your cooperation will be noted when you are handed over to the Royal Guard of Aerianna." She refrained from saying any more, likely to keep from speaking words she'd later regret.
The woman that Doman had referred to as Almatha, an elegant creature with a regal air about her, eyed Kitreena openly, her expression torn between fear and excitement. "You possess incredible powers," she finally said. "I cannot say why or how, but the spirits of nature bow to your command. How can this be? You are a mere child!"
The statement was more observation than insult, and Kitreena took it as such. "It is difficult to explain," she said with a warm smile. "Perhaps when we have more time, we can discuss the subject at length. Your people have always been well attuned to the elements of nature. I'd be very interested in your input, if you'd be willing."
"I would be delighted," Almatha replied, sounding satisfied. "Truly, I have never met any being with talents such as yours. I look forward to learning more about you."
As Doman and Damien escorted Almatha and F'Ledro to a Vezulian transport on the far side of the hangar, Olock's communicator came to life. "Olock, what's going on? Have you found them yet? We're running out of time; that battleship is about to blow!"
Arus couldn't stop himself. He snatched the device from Olock's belt and raised it to his mouth. "I'm sorry, but Olock isn't available at the moment. May I take a message?"
Dead silence reigned for several moments. There was little doubt that Truce recognized the voice, but for whatever reason, he played the fool. "Who is this?" he finally asked.
"That hurts, Truce," Arus replied. Kitreena had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggles. "I would think you'd know the voice of your greatest creation."
"Arus!" The man snarled so harshly he may as well have been foaming at the mouth. "Where is Olock? What have you done with my men?"
"Olock is dead," Arus said coldly. "F'Ledro is on his way to Lavinia to be handed over to the Royal Guard of Aerianna, and any other surviving Kyrosen will be rounded up before the day is done." A long string of obscenities buzzed through the speaker. Arus grinned at Kitreena before speaking again. "Truce, I want you to listen close, because I'm going to give you a glimpse into your future." Without waiting for a reply, he dropped the communicator to the floor and crushed it beneath his boot.
Damien returned minutes later, brushing his hands off as he approached. "Once Samas and Orchi get down here, we can get back to work. But I don't want to leave until—"
A series of distant explosions preceded a deafening boom from outside, an ear-shattering blast that Arus felt in the center of his chest. There was barely time to take a bre
ath before a barrage of explosions pummeled the hull of the Black Eagle, throwing everyone to the floor. The ship rocked violently, tossing supply containers about and scattering assorted tools across the hangar. Arus scrambled over Kitreena and shielded her face with his steel arm. "What's going on?" His voice was all but squelched by the commotion.
"Sounds like a starship exploded," Kitreena shouted back. "The battleship, I'd guess."
Thunderous bangs and crashes continued outside, and Arus couldn't help but wonder about the structural integrity of the ship. Even if it was the flagship of the Vezulian Armada, a starship could only take so much damage. If one of those clumps of debris hit the fuel tanks, the mission would certainly come to an abrupt halt. The lights flickered on and off, and distant whines suggested that at least some of the craft's systems were beginning to fail. Arus' scanners relayed erratic readings of scattered life signs that seemed to dwindle with every hit. The battleship had to have been somewhat over the Black Eagle when it blew; that was the only explanation that Arus could come up with as to why the hangar bay hadn't been torn apart yet. Being in the belly of the ship was the best place to be, if that were indeed the case.
Slowly, the rumbles died down, and the screeching smashes of metal against metal became more sporadic. When the floor had stabilized enough for them to stand, Arus took Kitreena's hand and helped her to her feet. "Is it over?" he murmured.
"Not for long," Damien said, brushing himself off. "If that was the battleship, then the Alliance forces have managed to press their way through to the Black Eagle. They'll be starting their attack at any moment. Perhaps we should think about returning to the Refuge ourselves."
"What about Kindel?" Arus asked him. "We came here to take back the Blade of Kaleo."
"Nothing can destroy that sword," Damien pointed out, "but if the ship goes down then Kindel will go down with it. We can always retrieve the blade from the wreckage afterward."
"Are you sure that the Alliance will be able to—"
The lights blinked once, then shut off completely. The glow from Kitreena's outline illuminated a small cone around the three, but aside from that, darkness blanketed the hangar bay. A quiet sound drifted through the shadows, a faint chuckle that developed into open laughter as it grew louder, repeating upon itself over and over in an endless loop that filled the expanse of the room like the tolling of an enormous bell. A deep blue light flashed—from where, Arus couldn't tell—and a voice cut through the darkness like a razor. "It seems we are destined to spill one another's blood on the battlefield. I had hoped you could be persuaded to see the truth of things, the reality of life which I have embraced. But you seem intent on gutting yourselves on my precious blade, and so it appears I must grant that wish." A cold wind brushed against Arus' skin, raising the hairs on his neck with a chill that inched down his spine. Another flash and Kindel Thorus was standing before them, Blade of Kaleo held lazily at his side. His skin had become a disgusting mix of green and brown where the angles of his jaw outlined his face, and his hands looked shriveled and bony. Black and green streaks marred his usually snowy hair, and his eyes shown like azure stars. The power of the sword was eating away at him, that much was certain. "It is so very hard for me to say goodbye to this ship, but then, I'll delight in taking your precious Refuge once I have left your burning corpses behind."
"The Refuge will never fall under your command, Kindel," Damien shot back. "I don't care if you drain every ounce of blood from my veins, I vow that I will not stop fighting until the Blade of Kaleo is back where it belongs, and the threat you pose to the universe is ended for good."
"Don't count on that sword to save you, either," Kitreena added, yanking her whip from its place at her side. Electrical flows surrounded the length of the weapon, crackling and fizzling as they slithered about. "Some of us still have a few surprises for you."
"I hunger for the challenge, my dear," he cooed. "I hunger . . ." The word trailed off like an unfinished thought. He tilted his head in Arus' direction, and his smile grew wider. "I shall have what is mine, boy. And you, like a mindless dog retrieving his master's sandals, will bring it to me."
There was another flash, and Thorus vanished in a tower of black flames. When the hangar lights illuminated once more, the presence of Samas and Orchi surprised Arus. They stood a few paces to the left of where Kindel had been looking almost disappointed that they'd been unable to launch an attack before he disappeared. Doman had returned as well, and he stood beside Damien. Arus opened his mouth to ask what their next move would be, but a beep from Damien's communicator stopped him.
"Yes, what is it?" Damien asked into the device.
"Sir, this is Lieutenant Meni. You wanted us to inform you the moment we noticed any atmospheric changes on the surface, right?" Damien shot a look at Kitreena and Arus. They were being baited. "An unnatural shift in the clouds has created a dangerously powerful storm just south of the kingdom called Asteria. It is currently over the sea, but is moving quickly toward the shore. I estimate that it will make landfall in five minutes or so."
"Understood," Damien responded. "Thank you."
"We must hurry," Kitreena said, heading for her ship. "It was hard enough to bring the transports down through the rocky weather of Arynias. If a storm like that got a hold of our starfighters, we'd probably be torn to shreds."
Damien raised a pale blue hand. "Kit." She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "We'll never make it to the surface safely in less than five minutes. You know that."
She furrowed her brow and spread her hands apart. "We have to try! I mean, what are we going to do? Stand back and let him have the planet?"
"Of course not. But taking ships down there is out of the question. As much as I don't like it, I don't see any choice but to use teleportation."
Arus knew how uneasy Damien was about using such an ability. He himself had only experienced it once; whether or not Damien had used it on other occasions was unknown. But if the situation was one that led him to believe that teleportation was the only way, then Arus preferred that over navigating a starfighter through an unstable atmosphere. More than once he had thanked the Maker that they'd managed to survive the transport ride to the surface of Arynias, and he had no interest in repeating that little adventure, especially if he was the one at the controls.
"Are you sure about this?" Kitreena asked, slowly walking back. "You've said yourself that teleportation is dangerous."
"Our options are limited, I'm afraid," Damien said, shaking his head. "I will do what I must."
"We will ensure that the High Lady Almatha and the Kyrosen prisoner make it to the Refuge safely, Sir," Doman said with a salute. Samas and Orchi, now at his side, mimicked the gesture. "Our thoughts and prayers will be with the three of you. For the sake of every peace-loving planet across the universe, come back alive."
"Thank you, Doman," Damien replied, returning the salute. "You've fought well. The three of you have done the Alliance proud. Return to the Refuge, and continue to take the fight to the enemy. Inform Captain Angeles of my whereabouts; he has been instructed to take command of the battle should I become no longer able to do so."
"I will tell him," Doman responded. Without another word, he turned on his heels and made for the transport with Samas and Orchi close behind.
After a long look at the departing soldiers, Damien took a deep breath and turned toward Arus and Kitreena. "Well, there's no sense in prolonging this any further. It is time to go. If either of you have any objections about joining me in the fight against my brother, now is the time to voice them. I'll not force either of you to—"
Kitreena almost laughed as she reached a hand to his shoulder. "Damien, you know I'll stand by your side to the end, no matter what that end might bring."
"As do I," Arus added. "Besides, this is my homeworld. I'm not going to stand by and watch Kindel destroy it."
For a long time, the Zo'rhan warrior simply looked at them. His eyes glistened with a thousand unsaid thoughts that
he seemed to be trying to sort out. Finally, he simply smiled and said, "You know, the two of you may be young, but I feel more comfortable having you at my side than I would with any other soldiers the Alliance has to offer. Thank you."
With that, he clasped his hands in front of him and closed his eyes. A white glow surrounded the three of them momentarily, wrapping Arus in warmth. His gaze locked with Kitreena's just before the world vanished. Don't worry, Kit. I have no intentions of letting anything happen to you or my homeworld.
Though it was telepathic, he thought he heard a giggle. Worry? Who's worried?
Chapter 8
"Truce, I want you to listen close, because I'm going to give you a glimpse into your future."
There was a brief clatter, a sharp fuzz, and then silence.
With a violent scream that reverberated throughout the halls, Truce threw his communicator across the library in a livid rage. Who in blazes did that boy think he was dealing with? The leader of the Kyrosen would not be disposed of so easily! "When this is all over, I'm going to find that boy and slowly tear him limb from limb, then yank out that implant and give it to someone more deserving of the effort I put—"
A roll of explosions could be heard somewhere in the distance, and then a massive blast cut through space, rocking and jostling the Falcon Mist. Without checking the scanners, Truce knew that the battleship had gone down. The window of opportunity for attack had opened; the Black Eagle was practically defenseless. It wouldn't be long before one of the smaller battleships moved to protect it, or perhaps a Vezulian cruiser, and any chance of destroying the Vezulian flagship would be lost. After all, there was a war amongst the Kyrosen to deal with, and Eaisan's bothersome child. This would very likely be the only opportunity, and not only had it been spoiled by Arus—the warrior Truce had created!—but Olock, his best friend since childhood, was dead. F'Ledro was no big loss; the spineless wretch of a man should've been done away with long ago. But Olock . . . "Curse you, Arus! Curse you to the Abyss!"
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