Joel stretches his cramped legs out before him and ponders the questions before answering, “To answer your second question, I had to take into account their respective abilities. And these abilities I had discerned through a heightened intuition that seems to accompany the powers of energy. So, in considering their ties to fire and water, and their contrary natures, I logically came to the conclusion that while fire would save one, it would be the death of the other. Here, my deeper intuition also played a role, for if I had given in to the sadness I felt at the prospective death of my brother, that too would have killed him. In truth, I was not even aware of such a consequence and so my actions were a very real manifestation of my hidden powers.”
Joel scratches his head. “Now, as to your first question, the answer is a little more complex.” He pauses as he gathers his thoughts. “Pure water, like that of the waterfall, is a molecule. And because it is a molecule, its components do not possess a charge. Sure, pure water is an excellent conductor of electricity, but that charge must be introduced. Tears, however, contain a compound of salt. And salt is the most ionic of forms one can achieve in nature, an ion itself being a charged particle. Therein lies the difference. And because of this intrinsic property, and with the added fact that the tears were my own, myself being the essence of energy, that energy was transferred into the electrolytes to provide the current necessary to revive Kae. And after this introduction of energy into her system, the pure water would be enough to sustain her while at the same time cleansing her system of the ions that would have, in time, led to a deterioration of her abilities….”
Lara stands and looks down at Kae, resting on the bank where she had left her. “Because the electrolytes would just keep flowing through her body, and with the energy that had been required to save her no longer needed, it would have sent a shock through her system.”
Joel nods suspiciously. “That is correct, but I wonder as to how reading romance novels can lead to a greater understanding of chemistry.”
Crossing her arms, Lara shrugs nonchalantly. “And I wonder how you convinced Maria to let you keep your pet squirrel in the house.”
Joel opens his mouth in protest and then just as quickly closes it, sighing, “Just please return my science books to my library when you are done with them.”
Lara smiles her victory. “And I will not tell Maria about Sparky.” She sighs, “I slapped her, you know.”
Joel looks up. “Do you regret it?”
“Not at the moment … but in time I must forgive her trespasses and she must forgive mine.”
Joel nods contemplatively. “Yes, in time.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Her world was shrouded in darkness, a palpable presence threatening to draw her away from a light of which she can only remember, and with that memory suffocate her. The dense air clung to her like a second skin, drawing tighter around her body with each straining breath. Something like sand sifted between her fingers and toes as she desperately crawled forward, strangling the hopelessness that coaxes her to give in and rest. She thought to herself that she must be in some ethereal desert, highly conscious of the oppressive heat seemingly magnified by the bleak blackness of her surroundings. She felt as if she were trapped in a sphere of ebony nothingness that absorbed all the heat of some unknown source while simultaneously banishing the light which is her distant destination, her only hope of salvation. Unable to stand and too determined to rest, she continued her crawl through oblivion.
Pants of excruciating effort escaped from her dry throat, the futile licking of the deep and flaky crevices that had been her lips only amplifying their sharp sting. Her arms trembled with exhaustion and her chapped skin began to prickle in the heat. The last vestiges of her strength stripped from her, she collapses onto the swell of sand and rolls onto her back as she gasps for the air that refused to come. The sweltering red blisters covering her hands burst, the bubbling blood mixing with the scorching sand in a cacophony of absolute anguish, irritation, and pain. She would have cried out had she a voice to do so.
And then she saw it. It was faint at first, a spot of gray in the infinite night. It seemed to be a star, struggling to shine and only growing brighter as she focused on it. Then, one by one, more points of light broke through the darkness. The radiance showered down on her like a heavenly rain, its droplets soaking into her body and extinguishing the perilous heat that had consumed her. The wetness seemed to course through her like blood, herself feeling the energy that slowly replenished her strength. A drop of light landed on the corner of her mouth and her thirst was forgotten. She lay there breathing in the air of effused light that continued to rain down upon her, driving away the oblivion that had been her sphere of existence. The starlit rain dwindles, the black clouds receding from her mind until they too fade, leaving behind a colorful arch of promise that she is safe.
Kae can feel the wet but solid earth beneath her and the gentle mist of a waterfall wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. She opens her lilac eyes to see the crystal-blue waters rushing down from the mountainside and the emerald-green leaves of the trees framing the azure sky soaring above her. A rainbow dances amongst the clouds of mists and she smiles. Remembering the events that had brought her to the place of forever night, she scrambles to her feet. She ignores the lightheadedness that plagues her and endeavors to keep focused. Her heart races frantically as her eyes scan the riverbanks, looking for some sign of Chase. Finding nothing, she closes her eyes and whispers a distraught prayer, calling out his name.
She can feel the bond between them but it is weak, as if his very soul was drowning in some liquid opaqueness. She reaches out and can see him now, his arms flailing as he frantically swims for that unattainable light. She cries out in despair, unable to help him. He seems to hear her plea, for his eyes open and he struggles harder for the surface. His mouth moves, and although she cannot hear the words, she senses that he is calling her name.
The scene expands to encompass a sphere of watery bleakness, an oblivion much like her own. She sees him struggling but making no progress. Her heart leaps fiercely one last time against her chest and experiences a paralysis of sorts as she comes to realize the inevitability of his efforts. She is reminded of her own futile struggle, thinking that if some watcher had looked upon her they would have observed the scene of which she now beholds. She takes a deep breath, holding onto the hope that whatever gift had been granted her would also be bestowed upon Chase.
She watches helplessly as his movements become more labored, eventually becoming more spasmodic until slowing to a heart-wrenching stop. She cries out once more, a desperate sob more than anything. His lips part ever so slightly and this time she can hear him as he calls her name. A sadness pervades the fading blueness of his eyes as an even sadder smile spreads across his serenely calm face.
Her heart lurches and she feels the urge to vomit, but she cannot tear her eyes away from this specter of death. Her love had drowned in the inky waters of nothingness and all she could do was watch. She can still feel the bond between them that had not broken even in death, but looking upon his unmoving body denies her any consolation.
A light surrounds the ebony globe. The waters of its surface evaporate in the white heat of a steady temperature that is careful to not boil the liquid in fear of cooking the body floating lifelessly in it. The waters recede as a white cloud forms around the outer surface of the sphere, but Kae wearily opens her eyes in the knowledge that the holy light had been too late.
Kae stares solemnly up at the cruel clarity of the blue skies. A gray cloud of smoke enters her vision, drawing her gaze towards the cliff. Two figures are silhouetted in the smoky screen, one standing and the other crouched. She can hear their voices over the roar of the river but the words are indecipherable. Taking action not borne out of curiosity but rather an overwhelming need to not be alone, she climbs the hill. She reaches the crest and makes her way for the cliff, the voices becoming clearer as she approaches and the smo
ke settling to a thin film. The two figures were making some sort of agreement, the tone of their voices shifting from analytical, to sarcasm, to a severity that sends chills through her body.
She recognizes the voices now, Lara being the one standing, and Joel, now reclined upon the rocky ground, had been the crouched figure. Their backs are towards her and she means to make her presence known, but the body lying on the ground brings her movements to a halt. The two people blocking her view only provided her with a small portal to see through, but what she saw was enough. Gathering her courage, Kae takes a tentative step forward.
Joel turns his head in alert of her presence, abruptly standing up and smiling his obvious delight. Lara turns as well, letting out a deep sigh upon seeing her sister alive and well. Kae ignores them, her eyes focused on Chase sprawled so haphazardly upon the hard earth before her. His black hair seems to shine red in the sunlight, and she remembers the comment he had made about her own hair. Slowly she kneels down beside his body, her features a pristine mask of calm to hide the torrent of emotion raging just beneath the surface. She stares at his bare back, the sweat upon it glistening in the sunlight….
Kae quickly rises to her feet, biting her lip with a hesitant hope. She looks over her shoulder at Joel. “I saw him die, yet he sweats.”
Joel nods. “He did die, but I reached him in time.” His expression is a mixture of pride and sorrow as he holds Kae’s gaze. “He lives.” As if to accentuate his words, Chase moans feebly.
Kae rushes to his side, helping him in his effort to sit up. Caressing his face with her hand, she stares gladly into his bright blue eyes. “Hello you.”
Placing his hand over her hand resting on his cheek, he smiles. “Hello.”
* * *
Jessica stares unblinkingly at the untouched scrambled eggs and half-eaten bacon on her plate. She notices Tom sitting across the kitchen table from her, inhaling his breakfast and occasionally passing a furtive glance her way. Maria bustles about the kitchen, more for her own distraction than a necessity for the room to be clean. Jessica can feel Maria’s eyes upon her as well, trying to bore a hole in her mind in order to decipher the thoughts and emotions that she may be feeling. Annoyed by their uneasiness, Jessica rises abruptly from her chair and dumps the lukewarm food, including the dish, in the trash receptacle. She glares at Maria, daring her to voice a reproof. Storming through the threshold, she strides to her room and slams the door shut, making clear her wish to not be bothered.
Maria wrings her hands as she looks to Tom for reassurance. Setting her resolve, she stalks out of the kitchen and into the corridor. She gently knocks on the door to the room that Jessica shares with Kaela, whispering a feeble, “May I come in?” She receives no answer so she tries the doorknob, finding it to be locked. Sighing, Maria pulls out the crystal in her apron pocket and transports herself to the other side of the door.
Not even startled by the uncanny intrusion, Jessica speaks evenly, “Nice trick, but that doesn’t impress me much. And it only proves that you have absolutely no regard for my privacy.” She stares harshly at Maria, her eyes glimmering with meaningful contempt. “Now do that shimmery thing once more and disappear into thin air. Who knows, you may be trapped in that between state of not here and not there and I will never have to see or speak to you again. I would like that very much, Maria.”
“So this is the type of person you choose to become: resentful and cruel? You may not choose to recognize me as your mother and that is something I will just have to live with, but nonetheless I will not let you give up. I will not stand by and watch you waste away to become a bitter old hag who scorns her life.”
Jessica smiles disdainfully. “I do not scorn my life. I scorn you. And I have not given up. You have.” She gestures wildly. “You see me as some weak, little, ignorant child. You are so afraid of saying the wrong thing, the word that might tip the balance against you. In case you haven’t noticed, the word has been said. The balance has been tipped. And if I were some weak, little, ignorant child, you wouldn’t have said the word in the first place. You knew what the repercussions would be, yet you confessed the truths you had hidden. And if I were some weak, little, ignorant child, that fact alone would have allowed me to forgive you, but I can’t.” She huffs. “And as far as I am concerned, all you have done is watched, so how would this be any different? Because you have finally acknowledged me as your daughter? No, I will not accept that nor will I accept that your heart had acknowledged what your words could not.”
“Scorn begins with but one seed, and that seed will continue to grow until it consumes you. If you continue on this path, let me forewarn you that it shall be your downfall.”
Jessica sighs in frustration, “Is that one of your visions, or is that some philosophical garbage one recites when they can find no words of their own?”
Maria stares blankly at her. “Experience is the best teacher. I have seen resentment turn the most noble of ladies into a power-hungry witch. She had fallen in love with a man whose heart belonged to another, and in her resentment was seduced by a power that promised her everything but would inevitably not only destroy her but those around her. Her name was Mala.”
Sighing, Jessica sits down upon the edge of her bed. “You draw comparisons where there are none. I am a fourteen-year-old peasant girl who has visions. And with these powers bestowed upon me, I can have everything, but I do not want it. I am only human and I cannot ignore my emotions but nor will I let them cloud my judgment. You cannot expect me to be happy and polite all the time, for what is happiness and politeness without sadness and rudeness to counter it? As the world seeks balance so must I, but I must first come to terms with myself and what I must do. But you must understand that lying to me does not help, nor do excuses help to find a solution to the problem.”
Maria sighs and sits down next to her. “You are far more mature at fourteen than I was at that age. There is much expected of you and you have only just recently discovered your powers. Please, let me help you. If you will not let me be your mother, let me be a friend. But you must also understand that you must discover your past for yourself, as part of the learning process and to better understand your power. The same goes for the others. I am bound to an oath to let you discover the right path for yourself, but I may serve as a guide. My roles as a mother and as a member of Oracle Seven are founded on this.” She smiles slightly. “Yesterday you had essentially asked whether or not Ashe is your brother. He may not be by blood, but his mother and I raised you two together as if you were. He knows you as his little sister and he loves you dearly. Do you not love him as your brother?”
Jessica closes her eyes. “I do. But in acknowledging this love, I must deny another.”
Maria clutches her hand. “If denial is the path you have chosen, remember that your mind can be fooled but true love never lies. You will look coldly upon him and speak harsh words but as you do, your heart will only be torn. Will you be able to look into his eyes, seeing the love he bears for you, and not falter in this resolve? And if you can, will you then run to your room and cry, keeping a stern face during the day but weeping throughout the night? And when you find this balance you are looking for, will you be so indifferent to your surroundings that you will simply no longer care?” Her brow creases in concern. “Jessica, in the strength of your resolve, this pride shall be your undoing. The line is not where you have defined it. Day and night coexist in an interval of time that we designate as twilight and that ambiguity is the bane of the human condition. Our vision is only clear when it is predicated on truth.”
Setting her jaw, Jessica whispers tersely, “Thank you for the advice, but I have made my decision. For a time I had indulged in the fantasy, but I must return to reality. Ashe is my brother and that bond transcends all else.”
Maria is obviously torn between her duty and her conscience. “If that is your decision,” she rises and proceeds towards the door, “just know that what you have called fantasy is reality. You have b
elieved the lie.” Unlocking the door, she turns the knob and leaves, closing the door softly behind her.
Jessica stares gravely out the window, her back straight in the epitome of composure and resolve mirroring that of a cold sculpture of stone. A tear threatens to escape from the corner of her eye but she brushes it away. She stands and closes the heavy curtains, blocking the light that had pervaded the room and leaving her in utter darkness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Two travelers stare across the valley littered with the white tents of the camp. Tendrils of smoke rise lazily from abandoned campfires and banners wave despondently in the subtle breeze. A few dogs search absentmindedly through the field but there are no other signs of life. Even in the sunlight of midday the eerily tranquil waters of Cape Terna that lie beyond seem a sadder shade of aquamarine.
Cole shrugs uncomfortably as he passes a glance towards Ashe, raising his brow in sarcasm. “This looks rather promising.”
Ashe shoulders his pack and sighs, “We have come this far. And who knows, the occupants of those tents may still be in them or out on some expedition.” He starts down the hill and Shadow follows him.
Cara emerges from the forest, whistling upon seeing the desolation spread out before her. “For all those tents, one would imagine that the camp would be more … sprawling.” She looks at Cole. “Well, we will know more once we reach the camp.” She paces down the hill, catching up with Ashe and leaving Cole alone with his doubts.
Presently Cole joins his companions, walking briskly down the hill into the valley of solitude. He marches on ahead of them towards the command tent as designated by the multicolored pennants adorning the threshold.
The flap of canvas is rolled to the side and he can see a rather young gentleman leaning over a table perusing several maps and marking various points upon them with a red pen. Cole remains standing outside and clears his throat, indicating his presence. The man looks up at the sound, his calculating brown eyes peering intently at the guests. Sticking the red pencil behind his ear, he rolls up the maps and stands up straight. Clearing his throat, the man speaks with reservation. “May I help you?”
Book One: Beginnings Page 16