"I'm afraid that isn't going to happen," repeated Xander. "You see, I am home."
"I don't think I heard you correctly," said Hadrian, his violet eyes deepening. "Repeat that one more time."
Xander nodded his head upward. "I'm with them."
Just then the rooftops of all of the buildings surrounding the courtyard were full of Reysene. The citizens of Reysa, mixed with their Reytana protectors, filled every rooftop, balcony and window. From around every corner, hundreds of armed Reysene flooded into the streets. A large band of citizens led by Tinko appeared in the street behind Xander. Several of the Reysene were carrying their makeshift bombs. Others carried whatever weapons they could find in their homes – hammers, shovels, even a few brooms.
"I see..." said Hadrian, surveying the crowd. "Interesting choice. But, a torman with a hammer is still just a torman." He struck his eüroc into the ground and a fault line shot directly at a nearby group of Reysene, causing them to topple backward.
"And what is a king without an army?" shouted a voice from above the courtyard. Everyone turned and looked up at the capitol building. There, standing in the window that Adem had burst through hours before, stood Regan. A golden cape whipped vigorously in the wind behind her. Both of her shins and forearms were covered by twisting, golden strings and around her forehead was a glowing headband.
"A king is a king with or without an army, young lady," shouted Hadrian. "But as you can see, I happen to have one. Or is the sun in your eyes?"
"You stole that army. It is not yours to command," shouted Regan from the window.
"You're half right," answered Hadrian. "I did steal it. But they are most definitely mine to command. Would you like me to show you?"
Regan said nothing and simply glared down at the Gartune king instead.
"Very well, then." said Hadrian. He lifted his hands in the air and addressed the Fallen Reytana. "Come, my children! No longer are you prisoners. Today, you are proud Tormada! Come and fight with your father against those that would do us harm!"
As if in a trance, the Fallen Reytana turned toward the Reysene that surrounded them. The Gartune fell back toward the center of the courtyard, letting the Reytana move ahead of them. Hadrian urged the Reytana forward. "Go! Go, my children! Fight for your father!"
The Reysene in the streets exchanged glances, questioning whether or not to engage the approaching Reytana. A few begged the young Tormada to stop, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. The Fallen ones' eyes began to glow as they approached their enemy.
"Stop!" yelled Regan. "Children of Rey, hear me!"
Immediately, the Fallen Reytana stopped and turned back toward the capitol building to face Regan. Hadrian's outstretched arms slowly fell to his sides. It's not possible, he thought. He looked up at Regan, still standing in the window. "Who are you?" he shouted. Somehow, she looked familiar.
"Who am I? I am the one you have been seeking! I am the one you missed; the one that escaped! And now I am back to free my people. Children of Rey, look on me! My name is Regan and I am your queen!"
Immediately, as if pulled by some invisible force, the Fallen Reytana fell to one knee and bowed their heads. The Reysene in the surrounding streets and buildings did the same. The few Gartune standing in the middle of them looked around, not sure how to proceed. Hadrian stood tall as always.
"A fine speech for a girl in a window," shouted Hadrian. "But I cannot see your rings from here. Why don't you come down and show them to me, so you can prove who you really are?"
Regan did not move. For an instant, uncertainty flashed across her face. The Fallen Reytana slowly rose their heads to Regan, awaiting their orders, but she did not speak. Just then, Xander yelled out to the crowd, breaking the silence.
"Citizens of Reysa, protect your queen!" he shouted.
"Protect the queen!" repeated a few voices from the crowd. "Protect the queen!" they shouted again, louder. The Fallen Reytana rose to their feet. "Protect the queen!" they repeated together as they began to advance on the Gartune in the courtyard.
Fueled by the sudden burst of fealty, Regan jumped out of the window to join her brethren. She closed her eyes, lifted her face to the sun and clenched her fists. Solar energy pulsed through her body. The bands encircling her forehead and arms glowed fiercely. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that she was floating over the courtyard. Down below, she heard the sounds of metal clashing with fiery swords and shields. Small explosions rang out amongst a chorus of yells and screams. Through the center of it all, Regan heard Hadrian yelling orders. There was no panic in his voice, though his position was dire. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked down.
Regan hovered over the center of the courtyard. The Lotus sat directly below her and there was a soft yellow glow emanating from underneath her feet. She wasn't sure if it was coming from her or the energy orb, but she suspected it might be her. To the left of the Lotus, Regan spotted three Gartune surrounding a small group of the Fallen Reytana. The young Tormada huddled together as the violet-eyed soldiers moved in for the kill. Before they could reach their prey, a golden blast erupted in front of them. The surprised Gartune looked up and saw Regan hovering above them with her fists pointed in their direction. Liquid fire flowed through her wristbands down to her hands and two more flares shot at the Gartune's feet, sending them stumbling backward. Realizing that they were no match for the Reytana queen, the Gartune quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction.
Regan looked for more targets. It did not take her long to find them. Most of the Gartune had chosen to engage the defenseless Reytana. However, they were not defenseless for long. Hovering above the courtyard, Regan unleashed a storm of fire. She shot flare after flare into the crowd. Most of the time, the shots landed at the feet of the Gartune, as was her intention. Other times the flares would graze their targets, scorching both cape and skin. That didn't bother Regan.
She continued to spin and fire, her face a hardened mix of anger and determination, as she circled over the battle below. Gradually, as some of the energy began to drain from her body, Regan lowered herself toward the ground. Once she had landed, a voice shouted her name. Regan turned toward the voice and saw Xander struggling to force his way through the crowd. She began to call out to him when a hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. There, in front of her, stood the king of Gartol.
"So, the queen has returned," said Hadrian. He tilted his head to the side so that he could see behind her right ear. A golden circle was emblazoned into her skin. When he saw the ring he nodded, approvingly.
Regan tuned out the sounds of the battle around her as she focused on the singular foe in front of her. She could barely hear Xander shouting her name. Her full concentration was on the king of Gartol. The two regarded each other with icy stares.
"You don't have any idea what to do, do you?" said Hadrian, sizing up Regan. "That's ok. You'll learn. I'll see to that."
"Regan!" shouted Xander. He was right behind her now, along with three of the Fallen Reytana. "Go! Protect your queen!"
"No!" shouted Regan as the Reytana jumped and landed in front of her. She tried to pull them back, but it was too late. One of the Reytana let out a sickening grunt and, suddenly, Regan was covered in a cloud of golden dust. She coughed, choking on the aura of the slain Reytana. Before she could regain her breath, Xander strode through the death mist and squared off against his father.
"This has been a long time coming," said Xander as he positioned himself in front of Regan. The king tapped his eüroc and a gleaming blade, identical to the one that adorned Septa's staff, sprung from the end.
"I see that there is no saving you now, boy" said Hadrian.
"It looks that way," agreed Xander.
"Very well. Perhaps The Scales will send me something more worthy after I dispatch you."
As the king circled his son, several nearby Gartune saw what was happening and formed up around the combatants. They created a small circle to keep Xander from escaping. Xander n
oticed Damnar and Damina in the group. The twins looked nervously between the king and the prince, unsure who to root for.
Xander saw their indecision and shook his head with mock disapproval. "And after all we've been through," he tsked. The twins looked down, too embarrassed to make eye contact.
"Enough!" shouted Hadrian. "Fight or get out of my way!"
Xander shrugged and threw a half-hearted jab at his father who effortlessly swatted it away. Hadrian scowled as Xander pranced, bouncing on his tip-toes in a circle around the king and then threw another lazy jab. This time the king swatted Xander's eüroc down into the ground with so much force that it cracked the stone.
"Stop embarrassing yourself and fight, you imbecile!"
Xander smirked. He reversed the direction of his circle, prancing backward this time. He twirled his eüroc in front of him, mockingly. Come on, Dad, let's see that famous temper of yours.
The twirl did it. Hadrian charged at his son.
Immediately, the smirk left Xander's face. He pressed the button on his eüroc and released his tre'ance. Three short prongs emerged from the bottom of his staff, forming a miniature tripod. Just as his father was about to reach him, he slammed his eüroc into the ground. The prongs stuck to the stone, holding the end of the staff a single inch above the ground; just enough to allow it to swivel from its base. Xander moved both of his hands to the top of his eüroc and then jumped to the side, angling the top of the staff toward him. His plan worked. The enraged Hadrian charged angrily past the spot where Xander had been standing, unable to stop himself in time. As he passed by, Xander swung his body in a horizontal arc, using the staff as leverage, and kicked the king in his back, knocking him to the ground. Hadrian landed at the feet of two Gartune. They quickly bent down to help their king to his feet. Infuriated by having fallen for Xander's trick, Hadrian jumped up and shoved off the aid of his soldiers. He turned to face his son. A small trickle of blood crept from the side of his lip. With eyes locked on Xander, Hadrian wiped the blood off his mouth and then studied his hand.
"Perhaps you learned something after all," said Hadrian.
"Lex and Septa weren't the only ones in the family who knew how to fight," replied Xander coolly. His eüroc was still planted upright next to him, the tre'ance holding it in place. Off to the side, Xander noticed Damnar slowly emerging from the circle of spectators, his eyes transfixed on the tre'ance at the bottom of Xander's eüroc. Damnar took another step forward to take a closer look and as he did so Xander quickly pulled the top of his staff toward him and then let it go. The eüroc struck Damnar squarely in the forehead before springing back to its upright location. The stunned Gartune stumbled backward, holding his bleeding forehead in his hands. Xander winked at him. "Now you know why I picked it," he said.
Suddenly, a large explosion erupted in the circle between Xander and Hadrian. A cloud of dirt and solar fire surrounded Xander making it impossible to see. A strong gust of air blew down from above. Xander looked up and saw the giant wing of a Reytana hovercraft flapping over him. The vessel lowered itself, revealing a row of solar cannons all pointed at the circle of Gartune on the ground.
"Where is he? Where did he go?" shouted a voice from the bow of the hovercraft. It was Dario. As the dirt from the explosion cleared, Xander could see several Gartune bent over and coughing, but one was missing. Hadrian was gone.
Elsewhere, the fighting had all but finished. The few Gartune that remained dropped their eürocs once the hovercraft made its appearance. The air was a mixture of gold and purple dust. Xander waded through the murk in search of his father but to no avail. Then, he found someone he was happier to see.
At first, the only thing he saw through the dusty air was the golden glow of the bands encircling her wrists and forehead. As he got closer, the light emanating from them began to illuminate the rest of her form, giving it an almost celestial appearance. Her back was to him, but she turned her head over her shoulder once he was within a few feet. She smiled before she saw him.
"I'm starting to lose count of the number of times you've saved my life," she said.
"Oh, I'm keeping track," said Xander as he walked slowly toward the Reysene queen. "Three. I've saved you three times. Twice just today, actually." He looked warmly into her eyes. "And I expect you to make it up to me."
Regan smiled as she wiped some dirt off of his tunic. "We'll see," she said.
"I can live with that," replied Xander. The two of them looked over the scene unfolding around them. Once again, the Gartune were separated into small groups. Whereas before, the captives had retained a look of defiance while they were being restrained, now they simply sat on the ground with their heads bowed. They knew the battle was lost.
Throughout the courtyard and the adjoining streets, the citizens of Reysa welcomed back their Reytana. Men and women mingled with their long lost Tormada, shaking their hands and giving them hugs. The Fallen ones were showered with tears and affection. Though they were unable to effectively communicate with the Reysene, they happily knelt down to receive their embraces. For most of them, it was the first time they had ever smiled.
Regan turned back to Xander. "Where did he go? Is he dead?"
"My father?" replied Xander. "No, he's not dead. He'd never allow himself to do something as stupid as getting killed."
Regan let out a small laugh. Xander wiped some dirt off of her cheek and smiled at her. Then without a word, she folded into his arms and laid her head against his chest. The two just stood there holding each other, oblivious to the commotion around them. Xander began to say something but Regan stopped him.
"Don't", she said. "You'll just ruin it."
Xander laughed. "So, do I finally get to call you queen?"
Regan looked up at him, surprised. "Finally? You knew?"
"Of course I knew. Ever since that day outside my cell when you three were talking about the contents of your letter. The twins wear the rings. I knew it could only mean one thing. And it explained a lot, actually."
"Wait, how could you hear us? We were whispering."
"Regan, I don't think your brother knows how to whisper. Speaking of Loras... I don't see him anywhere. Has anyone told him yet? If not, maybe we should consider keeping it a secret. I mean, a city really only needs one ruler and it seems like you've got that job locked up."
Regan looked around. Everywhere the Reysene were beaming at her. Even the Fallen Reytana were smiling ear to ear. Some of the Lost Reytana pounded their chest with their fists and nodded when she caught their gaze. Dario and Lucan stood together with Adem and beamed proudly.
"What do I do now?" asked Regan.
Xander took her back into his arms. "I'll help you think of something," he said.
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Rematch
Loras lay on his back and stared up at the sun. The waves broke on the beach and ran up around his toes. He did not know how long it had taken him to swim ashore, but he knew that he was exhausted. Every muscle in his body was spent. So, he just lay there and let the sun do its job.
As he was re-energizing, Loras thought about the white-eyed nymph. In fact, he had been thinking about her the entire time he was swimming to shore. He couldn't get her out of his head. It wasn't just the kiss. Although, that wasn't exactly your typical first kiss, he mused. And it wasn't the way she had kept him alive just by touching him. No, it was the way that he, himself, had felt while she was with him. Somehow, she had made him feel warmer. Not the way that the sun warmed him – that felt more like being fueled. But rather, something inside of him had felt more alive when she was there.
Loras laughed to himself. Look at me, acting like a love-sick pipken. If I'm not careful, I'll turn into Regan. He turned over and looked up at the city on the cliff. Regan. I hope she's all right. He felt confident that she was ok. After all, she had Dario and Lucan up there with her. And Xander. He wasn't sure how he currently felt about Xander. Maybe that was something that he could put off for a while. There was enough going on in h
is head right now to worry about the Gartolian prince's relationship with his sister.
When he felt that he had sufficiently recovered from his swim, Loras lifted himself off of the beach and started toward Reysa. He would have to be careful sneaking past the Gartolian basecamp. Although it appeared that all of their attention had turned to building rock mounds in front of their installments in order to protect them from Reysa's artillery, which was now at full strength thanks to Loras. The tanks had all but ceased firing at the city's forcefield. There was no point anymore. The cannonballs didn't even cause the shield to flicker when they hit it now. Every once in a while they would fire a single round at a different area of the shield, probing for a weakness, but each time the result was the same.
Loras skirted around the base of the cliff as he made his way to the narrow path that he had previously used to escape the city. It was a risky choice, but not as risky as attempting to take the lift all the way up to the city. It might still be manned by Gartolians. At a minimum, someone would see the cage going up the face of the cliff. No, the trail was the best choice. Plus, the mounds that the Gartolians had erected in front of their base shielded the bottom of the cliff from their view. He would be well up the slope before anyone would have a chance to see him.
The entrance to the path had just come into view when Loras stopped in his tracks. He did not see or hear anyone, but he could feel someone watching him from above. Then a trickle of rocks fell off the cliff and onto his shoulder. Loras froze, letting the pebbles cascade over him. There was a small ledge not far overhead that covered his position. It was possible that whoever was up there could not see him where he was standing. Then another, larger rock came rolling down the cliff. Loras made a quick mental calculation and decided to let the rock hit him, rather than jump out of the way and risk losing whatever concealment he might have. The rock struck him squarely on the top of his head and bounced to the ground. Loras let out a grunt but did not move. He could feel something wet trickling down the side of his head.
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