by Clayton Wood
“We'll discuss that later,” Kalibar interrupted. “The family is throwing a celebration, and we're invited as honored guests.”
“A celebration?” Kyle asked. “What for?”
“We have an Immortal in our midst,” Petra's father answered. “And we celebrate our daughter's life, and the generosity of the man who spared her.” He grabbed Kalibar's hand then, leading the Grand Weaver back toward the foyer. “Come on,” he urged. “I'll show you to the rooftop.” Kalibar let himself be pulled along, and Kyle and Ariana followed close behind. They went up the stairs to the second floor, and then the third, walking down a short hallway to a door at the end. Petra's father opened the door, revealing a rooftop terrace. Kyle followed Ariana through the doorway and into the warm night air, marveling at the size of the terrace. It was at least forty feet long and twenty wide, with a short wooden fence surrounding its perimeter. Stone bowl-shaped things topped the fence at regular intervals, flames leaping up from their depths. All around them were sounds of the forest...birds chirping, leaves hissing in the wind, and a sweet grasshopper-like cadence behind it all.
“Come, sit,” Petra's father urged, gesturing to one of many round tables lined up on the terrace. He pulled a seat out for Kalibar, and then for Kyle and Ariana, and they sat down. Kyle was surprised when Petra's father didn't sit on the fourth – and final – chair, remaining standing instead. “The food is almost done,” he explained. “You must be starving.”
“I know I am,” Kalibar admitted with a rueful grin. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
“Thank you for your mercy,” Petra's father replied. He left then, walking back into the house. Kalibar watched him go, then turned to Kyle and Ariana, taking a deep breath in, then letting it out.
“Well then,” he declared, smiling at them both. “How have you two been?” Kyle and Ariana exchanged glances; so much had happened to them since they'd left the Tower! How could they possibly explain their unlikely adventure?
“Uh, busy,” Kyle answered, glancing again at Ariana, who smiled.
“It's been a lot,” she added. “You want me to tell the story, or you?” she asked Kyle. Kyle shrugged.
“You start,” he decided. “I'll fill in the gaps.”
Kyle heard the door behind them open and close, and twisted around, looking over his shoulder. Petra was there, in her usual outfit; she walked up to their table, pulling back the empty seat and sitting down. She smiled at Kyle and Ariana – making Kyle blush, for she'd caught him with his gaze a bit farther south than it should have been – and then pointedly ignored Kalibar.
“Did I interrupt something?” she inquired. Kalibar cleared his throat.
“They were just about to tell me their story,” he replied. “Of how they managed to get this far.”
“Please,” Petra said, “...I'd like to hear it.”
Ariana began, telling Kalibar how she and Kyle had escaped the Tower that night, and how they'd managed to get through the Gate shield. She described their flight to the Defiance, their capture, and the harrowing battle with the warship. And how Kyle had managed to defeat the warship and save the Defiance. They gave a brief recap of flying over the forest, and their capture by Petra. By the time Ariana finished telling what little she remembered of the cave, Petra's father – and a few other relatives – had arrived with steaming plates of food in tow. Petra's father served each of them, except for Ariana of course. Then the rest of the family sat at the other tables, until the terrace was bustling with lively conversation.
“What a remarkable journey,” Kalibar exclaimed. “I'm so proud of both of you.” Kyle smiled, flushing with pride.
“Thanks,” he said. “Now tell us about how you got here.”
“Yeah,” Ariana agreed. “If you're gone, then who's running the...”
“Ahem,” Kalibar interrupted, giving Ariana a look. Her jaw snapped shut with a click, and she glanced at Petra. “I'd be happy to tell my story,” he added quickly, “...but I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to hear it over my stomach growling.” He dug into his food them, forking a sizable chunk of yummy-smelling meat into his mouth. Kyle did the same, surprised at how mouth-wateringly delicious it was.
“Wow that's good,” he mumbled, forking another piece into his mouth. Petra smiled at him.
“Tell my father,” she urged. “He's very proud of his cooking.”
“He has every right to be,” Kalibar declared. “This is exquisite...and I'm no stranger to good food.”
“Are you a master chef as well then?” Petra asked him. “Should I have my father take lessons from you?”
“Hardly,” Kalibar retorted with a chuckle. “I don't have a mind for cooking.”
“But you have one for teaching?” she asked coolly.
“I do,” Kalibar confirmed. “And I find the most important part of being a teacher is respecting one's student.”
“And what if the reverse isn't true?”
“That makes it difficult,” Kalibar replied with a slight smirk. He raised a chunk of meat to his lips, and held it there, his eyes twinkling. “But there's nothing I enjoy more than a good challenge.”
“Not all challenges are surmountable,” Petra retorted, taking a bite from her own plate. Kalibar raised one eyebrow.
“I never said I had to win to enjoy it,” he countered.
Petra arched an eyebrow, then resumed eating, ignoring Kalibar's quiet chuckle. They sat in silence for a while, everyone focusing on their meal. After a few minutes, Kalibar had finished his meal...despite the fact that everyone else was barely half done. Kyle found it best to keep his eyes on his plate, seeing as how Petra was seated opposite him. If he looked at her, his eyes would invariably wander into dangerous territory, and Ariana would be sure to notice.
“I find it remarkable that this wood insulates against the Barren forest,” Kalibar stated suddenly, gesturing at the black walls of the house's exterior. “I take it your suit is made of the same material?”
“It is,” Petra answered, not looking up from her plate.
“That explains how you can survive here,” Kalibar told Ariana. “What tree does it grow from?”
“It doesn't,” Petra replied. When Kalibar didn't say anything, she looked up from her plate. “It's from a vine.”
“The Reaper vine,” Kyle piped in. Petra raised an eyebrow at him, and he blushed. “What?”
“Where does it come from?” Kalibar pressed.
“The ground,” Petra quipped.
“A valuable plant indeed,” Kalibar observed, ignoring her glib reply. “I wonder if I could study some live samples?”
“They're very difficult to come by,” Petra replied. “Most of the vines we find are already dead. The only living vines my tribe has now are inside of me.”
“That'll do,” he replied. Petra's eyes widened for a moment, but she regained her composure quickly, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest.
“I thought a teacher such as yourself would treat his student with more respect,” she stated coolly. Kalibar hardly seemed dismayed by her tone.
“Speaking of which,” he replied, “...if I'm going to teach you, I'll need to be able to weave outdoors. A suit like yours would be quite helpful.”
“Only the Joined can wear it,” Petra retorted. Kalibar glanced at Ariana, raising one eyebrow. “And Immortals,” Petra added.
“Quite alright,” Kalibar stated with a smile. “I seem to get by well enough with dirt.”
“I think you've been crawling in it for too long,” Petra retorted. “It's seeped into your mind.” She finished her food then, standing up from her chair and nodding at Kyle and Ariana. “Good night,” she stated crisply. Then she turned and left, making her way back indoors. Kyle watched her go, then turned to see Kalibar watching her go. Kalibar snapped out of his trance, realizing that Kyle and Ariana were looking at him...and that Ariana was rolling her eyes. He cleared his throat.
“Well then,” he said, pushing himse
lf away from the table, the legs of his chair screeching on the floor. Just then, Petra's mother stopped by their table, and asked if she could sit down. All three immediately said yes, and she took a seat, smiling apologetically at Kalibar.
“Did you enjoy your meals?” she asked. Everyone nodded enthusiastically, except for Ariana.
“It was exquisite,” Kalibar replied.
“Oh good,” she stated, clearly pleased. “I hope Petra was...pleasant tonight,” she added tentatively. Kalibar smiled.
“She was,” he assured. “You have a lovely daughter.”
“Oh I know,” Petra's mother agreed. “And a stubborn one,” she added ruefully. “Everything she does, she excels at. She's been the best Weaver of all the tribes for years now...I don't know if she's very happy about being beaten.”
“She seems to be taking it well,” Kalibar observed. He smiled at her, patting the back of her hand. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You're welcome,” she replied. Then she stood, making her way back to her own table. Kalibar sighed, glancing at his two children wearily.
“How about we go for a walk?” he proposed. Kyle nodded, and so did Ariana. They stood from the table, attempting to take their own plates, but they were stopped at once, the plates whisked away by Petra's family. Kalibar went to Petra's parents' table to express his amazement at her father's cooking, and then all three went downstairs, and out of the front door. The starlit sky greeted them as they strode across the wide path away from the house, tiny points of light peeking between the leaves high above their heads.
“I have to admit,” Kalibar stated, breaking the silence. “I never expected today to end like this.”
“Tell me about it,” Kyle agreed, smiling up at his father. “I still can't believe you're actually here.”
“We have a job to do,” Kalibar stated, putting an arm around Kyle's shoulders, and around Ariana's. “A job that only we can do.” He sighed then. “But this,” he added, gesturing back at the house in the distance, “...may complicate things.” Kyle frowned.
“How's that?”
“Sabin's lair is somewhere around here, correct?” Kalibar asked. Kyle nodded. “And the blast radius of Ampir's bomb, what is it again?”
“Ten miles,” Kyle replied. “Uh, a ten mile diameter,” he corrected. Kalibar nodded.
“That's what I thought,” he replied. “Which means that if Sabin's lair is within five miles of this house...” He stopped then, lowering his gaze to the ground. Kyle's eyes widened.
“They'll be killed!” he exclaimed in horror. Kalibar frowned, letting go of Ariana and putting a finger to his lips. Then he sighed again.
“We may have to have them evacuate,” he stated. “The question is...if they knew we were going to kill the Immortals – and potentially destroy their home and perhaps even their forest – how would they respond?”
“Not well,” Ariana replied.
“Yet we cannot in good conscience let them die,” Kalibar continued. “So we have to find a way to get them to evacuate themselves – and the rest of the tribes – without telling them the truth.”
“How the heck are we going to do that?” Kyle pressed. Kalibar gave him a wry smile.
“I suspect I'll be spending most of the night pondering that very question.”
They walked in silence then for a while, until the path had faded away, leaving nothing but endless forest floor before them. Kalibar stopped then, glancing back the way they'd come.
“I suppose we'd better be getting back,” he said. He turned about, beginning the long walk back to the house, and Kyle followed along. But Ariana stayed where she was, her eyes on Kyle.
“What?” Kyle asked.
“Can I talk to you for a little bit?” she asked him. Kalibar raised an eyebrow.
“I'll leave you to it,” he said. He continued onward, waving with one hand. “Don't take too long.” Kyle nodded, and both he and Ariana watched Kalibar go. When the old man had long since been swallowed whole by the darkness of the forest, Ariana turned to Kyle.
“Kyle,” she began, her expression suddenly serious. “I need to talk to you about something.” Kyle blinked, then frowned.
“Sure, anything,” he replied. “What's wrong?”
“It's just...” she started, then stopped, looking like she was searching for the right words. “I've been thinking a lot lately.”
“About what?”
“About...us,” she answered. Kyle smiled.
“Me too,” he replied. She shook her head.
“No, I mean...it's just that...” She trailed off then, turning away from him, her pale face looking radiant in the starlight. Then she turned back to him, taking a deep breath in, then letting it out slowly. Then she shook her head. “Never mind.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Ariana mumbled.
“But you were just going to...”
“Forget about it,” Ariana insisted, grabbing his hand and pulling him back toward the path. “Come on, let's go home.” But Kyle resisted.
“Tell me,” he insisted. “What’s wrong?”
Ariana hesitated, lowering her gaze to her feet. She took a deep breath in, then let it out.
“It’s about us,” she said at last. Kyle frowned.
“What about us?”
Ariana looked up at him, her expression unreadable. Then she swallowed visibly.
“It’s about me,” she corrected. She shook her head. “I don’t think I’m right for you, Kyle.”
“What?” Kyle blurted out. “What do you mean? Of course you are!”
“No,” Ariana retorted firmly. “I’m not.” Kyle opened his mouth to respond, and Ariana put a finger to his lips. “I’m dead, Kyle.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“Not now,” she conceded. “But you will.”
“Ariana...”
“I’ll never get any older, Kyle,” she continued. “I can’t have kids, or...anything,” she added. Kyle shook his head.
“I don’t care,” he retorted. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t it?” she pressed. She put a hand on his shoulder. “Kyle, I can’t be what you’ll want me to be.”
Kyle frowned, staring at her silently for a moment.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he asked.
Ariana lowered her gaze, saying nothing, her hand slipping off of his shoulder. Kyle grabbed her hands in his own, and leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. Then he hugged her. At first she just stood there, not moving. Then he felt her hug him back.
“It’s not fair” she mumbled. Kyle pulled back.
“What?”
“This,” she muttered, gesturing at herself. Then she brought a hand up to her forehead. “And this.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Even if I kill Xanos, he’ll still have destroyed my past.” She looked up at him. “And my future.”
“Ariana, that’s not true,” Kyle insisted. Ariana turned away, staring off into the forest, utterly still. In that moment, she looked like a statue, her shoulders not rising and falling with breath, her eyes unblinking. Kyle stared at her, unsure of what to say. After a long moment, she turned back to him, giving him a weak smile.
“Thank you for saving me back there,” she stated. “In the cave.”
“No problem,” Kyle replied.
“I love you,” Ariana stated suddenly, reaching out and squeezing his hand. Kyle turned to her, his heart skipping a beat.
“Huh?”
“I love you,” she repeated. She stopped, pulling him up to her and giving him a kiss on the lips. Then she pulled away. He blinked, touching his lips with his fingertips, then staring at her.
“I love you too,” he replied.
“I know.”
She turned back toward the house then, pulling Kyle along with her. She walked slowly, gazing up at the stars, her hand cool and her grip firm. They’d gotten within a hundred feet of the house when she leaned the side of her head against Kyle�
�s cheek, letting go of his hand and wrapping an arm around his waist.
“I’m glad I can’t forget anything,” she stated.
“Hmm?”
She rubbed the small of his back, continuing forward.
“I’ll always have my memories,” she murmured. “No matter what happens.”
“We’ll make good ones then,” Kyle decided. Ariana turned to him, a smile on her lips.
“Yeah.”
They made their way back toward the house without another word, following the wide path hand-in-hand, the pale starlight casting the forest in a gentle glow. It was, Kyle realized, one of the most serene nights he'd ever experienced. In spite of the horrors he'd faced that day, the night had ended with him surrounded by those he loved the most, along with the hope that he might just end up succeeding in this impossible mission after all.
Chapter 29
Sabin stands in the small hollowed-out space in the mines that serves as Gunthar's office, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares down at the leader of the Resistance. Gunthar remains seated, as he has throughout their brief meeting. Despite Sabin's fury, and despite the accusations Sabin has leveled at him, Gunthar appears calm.
“I understand your concerns,” Gunthar states, breaking the silence. Sabin raises his eyebrows.
“Really?” he asks. “Then you'll call off the attack?”
“No.”
“What?” Sabin exclaims. He stares at Gunthar incredulously. “How can you...”
“Because I am the leader of this government,” Gunthar interjects coolly. “And because I am not as stupid as you apparently think I am.”
“I never said...”
“You didn't need to,” Gunthar interrupts. He steeples his hands together, staring at Sabin silently, until Sabin squirms under his unblinking gaze. “I happen to be more resourceful than you think.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your concern about Ampir is well-founded,” Gunthar replies. “I've seen the blueprints for his armor...they're very impressive.”
“Blueprints?” Sabin asks. “What blueprints?”
“Your government...”
“Former government,” Sabin corrects. Gunthar's jaw ripples at the interruption.