The Fallen Ones

by Katelyn Campbell

CHAPTER 26

   

  Ilyana:

  As I come to, I am immediately aware of a burning sensation in the back of my throat and the most powerful migraine that I’ve ever felt. I feel like I’m outdoors by the heat that is pounding onto my skin, but as I open my eyes and allow them to adjust to the light, I finally take full account of where I am at and I recognize the old ruins. “Good Morning, angel…” a small smile begins to form and I can feel blush creeping across my face, I look behind me and see Kailand walking into the old dining hall at the training grounds. As happy as I am at the sight of him being free my heart aches at all that was lost and I have to hold back the tears. “This place isn’t what it used to be. I remember racing through these halls as a child, spying on the parties. Hiding with my friends and creating mischief at every turn.” You can hear the nostalgia in his voice “Now this hasn’t been used in decades, it’s falling apart in ways I never could’ve imagined. I’m guessing they’ve moved the enclave then?” he turns to look at me square on for confirmation and I nod unable to speak for fear of what may come out.

  He looked so weak in their grasp. Ephraim never really found peace and now that he finally was free of the counsels grasp, his own sister fed him to the wolves and I sat back powerless while that creature drained the life from him.

  Kailand reaches out and wraps his arms around me in a way that I know is meant to be comforting but somehow, only seems to succeed in reminding me of all that was lost “Ilyana, it’s not your fault! You did everything you could. You were caught in the middle of this horrible war that you had no hand in producing, think of the countless life’s you saved by coming to us last night!” he is wiping the tears from my cheeks and trying to get me to look into his eyes and find the truth in his words, but all I can picture is all the destruction that was caused at my hands. He grabs my hands to pull me up to stand “There, there! Steady on your feet. I want you to come look at something.” He continues to stroll out into the courtyard area with my hand in his and I see the most beautiful site. In the middle of the courtyard is the old woman Kailand seemed so fond of. She looks so young and beautiful and suddenly I find myself feeling insecure and wondering exactly who she is to him.

  She is standing close to the well with fresh water she has obviously used to clean herself and her hair, I realize the grey that I previously saw must’ve been dust from where she hadn’t moved for centuries. Of course, she was a Nephilim so it wasn’t possible that she could age, but my mind never registered the thought. She has torn off parts of her dress to use as cloth and is cleaning the faces and hair of the other captives with it. She has the silkiest black hair I have ever seen and it is cascading down her back in a long, damp braid. She is singing in words I can’t quite make out as she gently cares for the other captives that still seem absolutely stunned by the rays of the sun pounding down on them. She catches site of Kailand and I and begins to run over to us.

  I am shocked and nearly fall when she wraps her arms around me for a warm embrace “It’s you! I knew you would wake up soon, I just knew it! You’ve set us free!” she pulls back and looks at me with tears of gratitude rolling down her cheeks “I never thought I’d see the sun again, I gave up on living and then an angel of mercy showed up. You fed us and cared for us, you treated us with dignity – something I hadn’t felt for centuries and then, you freed us…” I smile at her kind words but am absolutely stunned when I see the beautiful woman slowly settle into a bow in front of me “Anything you need or want, I am at your command, my lady!” I fall to my knees in front of her. Her kindness and gratitude is one thing, but I will never have someone bow to me again, not after the things I have done.

  My throat stings and my voice is hoarse as the words come out of my mouth “Please don’t! You never should’ve been imprisoned in the first place, I just did what was right. There was no other option. Call me Ilyana and if you want to show your gratitude, you will never bow to me again.” She is at eye level with me now as we both sit there on our knees, her with a look of awe on her face and me, a broken mess. “Ilyana, it is. My name is Rose.” A smile forms across her her heart shaped mouth. “Can I do something, Ilyana?” I know that I have nothing to fear from this woman so I nod my head, unsure what to expect. She reaches her hand over my neck and her eyes go slate grey in front of me, I see her light green aura flowing out and begin to feel it wrap into me.

  I am confused by what’s happening, as her face goes back to normal, she wrinkles her nose at me in a small way “I never thought I would see the day come where I would be able to do that again. You’ve given me another gift!” I feel completely confused by what just happened and as I go to ask her, I realize my voice is completely back to normal and my migraine is gone “How did you do that?” she lets out a small laugh and tells me “It’s one of my gifts, I used to be a healer, before we were held captive, the power surge back in the cave was enough to strengthen me and gave me back my gift of healing, I’m still nothing that I used to be, I may never be that powerful again, but thanks to you I can feel the power that I lost coursing through my veins again.” I smile at the thought and look up to Kailand and see him smiling at me in a way that I never felt before, I feel heat beginning to rise to my face but fortunately before I have a chance to wallow in my own insecurities he reaches down and offers us both a hand to pull us back up to our feet.

  I right myself and begin to brush the sand and grass off of my legs and knees. I look around me at all the captives, some walking, some are lying down staring up into the clouds and begin to assess all the work ahead of me. I feel a tinge of sadness when I think about how great Alya would’ve been at helping make everyone comfortable – she was so quick to make me at home. I have no idea what to do next but I know we can’t all stay like this. I look to Kailand “We have to go to the Enclave, I need to get Levi and we need to figure out what we have to do to protect everyone here from Guinevere.” He nods at me in agreement Rose lets out a small smile and excuses herself to go back and begin cleaning up her friends. I make a mental note to bring back whatever resources I can to help make her job a little bit easier.