Inassea Chronicles: The Blighted Flame

by P. A. Peña

  Chapter 27

  The tension in the air was unbearable. Nobody said a word. Virgil spun around and stormed off, unable to stand the silence for a second longer. He moved quickly, ignoring the calls of his name, desperate to get as far away as possible.

  “You’re an idiot,” Virgil said to himself, his voice nearly cracking. “Why did you ever think you could make friends?” He picked up his pace. “Everything will be okay,” he continued. “You’ve been alone before. You’ve always been alone. You know-”

  A wooden wall erected from the ground in front of Virgil, forcing him to a halt. He turned around to find Olivia standing there. “You’re not alone,” she said as she recalled the blockade.

  Virgil blinked back tears. “I am alone. I was a fool to ever think I wasn’t.”

  “You’re not a fool,” Olivia replied, shaking her head. “And you’re certainly not alone.”

  “I am.”

  “Virgil, you’re—”

  “You don’t get it!” Virgil exclaimed. “All my life, it’s been just me and my family, and they were ripped away from me. Since then, I’ve had no one. I allowed myself to believe that wasn’t true anymore. I convinced myself I found people I could connect with, but I was just playing myself.” Tears poured from Virgil’s eyes, and his breaths became heavy. “You don’t know what it’s like, reaching for something that you’ll never be able to touch again.”

  Olivia approached Virgil. “You’re right. I don’t know what that’s like. Even so, I don’t need to know what you’ve been through to feel the pain you’re holding on to. I can see it when I look at you. I hear it when you speak. I can’t imagine what life has been like for you up until this point, but you can believe me when I tell you, you are not alone anymore.”

  Olivia took Virgil into her arms. His every instinct urged him to pull away and leave her there, but he couldn’t. He stood there, perplexed. His mind was a hopeless mess of confusion, worry, anger, and sorrow.

  “I know we haven’t known each other long,” she continued. “I couldn’t possibly begin to understand everything there is to know about you, but in the short time we’ve spent here on this island, you have been my only comfort. Even now, while I wish you weren’t involved in this ordeal, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t set me at ease knowing I don’t have to face this alone.” Olivia shook her head. “No. It’s more than that. It’s because I have you here with me. When I’m with you, I feel safe. I feel like no matter what happens, if you’re there, I know everything is going to be all right. I want you to feel the same way when you’re with me.”

  Virgil wrapped his arms around Olivia, utterly powerless to resist her embrace any longer. Her touch was warm, and her scent intoxicating. They pulled back just enough to look at one another. There they were looking up at him—those sparkling hazel eyes beckoning him to move in closer. He complied, and Olivia followed suit. They closed their eyes as they moved closer and closer, and then closer still.

  The only thought remaining in Virgil’s mind was the impending touch of Olivia’s lips. His heart pounded away in his chest, so much so that it rang in the back of his ears. His skin was warm, and time seemed to slow down to encapsulate this one glorious moment. Their lips were merely a hair’s breadth apart, and in that moment, for as brief as it may have been, nothing else in the world mattered.

  “Celebrating already?” Lucious gloated as he approached the couple.

  Virgil pulled away from Olivia, the tenderness of the moment completely drained from the air. He was so close he could nearly taste Olivia’s lips, but now his first kiss felt as if it were in another dimension entirely.

  Lucious walked past, not bothering to look in Virgil’s direction. “You better not lose,” Lucious said. “It would break my heart if you didn’t make it to the semi-finals with me.”

  “Ignore him,” Olivia said. “Just remember what we’re here for.”

  Virgil’s eyes were still fixed on Lucious. “Yeah,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “I remember.”

  Virgil left Olivia and headed to his designated arena, his nerves much steadier than they had been before. As he waited outside the arena, he focused his mind on the task at hand. He had to determine if Angelica was working with the Scarlet Mage, and if not, finish their battle as quickly as possible.

  The arena wall opened up. As Virgil walked onto the battlefield, his opponent did the same. The dark-brown woman was skittish, her eyes falling upon everything and everyone except Virgil.

  That’s odd, he thought. She couldn’t keep her eyes off me before the exam. What’s changed?

  Virgil looked at the woman closer. He didn’t even need to scan her aura to know how it would be. She was a nervous wreck, sheepishly twirling her fingers through her black curls. Still, he checked her aura, finding it turbulent like choppy water.

  There’s no way she’s working with the mage.

  Finally, Angelica looked at Virgil. They locked eyes, and almost immediately, she turned away.

  Maybe she is working with him. She could feel guilty about it. Second-guessing herself. No. She seems more frightened than anything.

  “The second round is about to begin,” Roxanne called out. “If you would like to shake hands, do so now.”

  Virgil began walking towards the middle of the battlefield, and Angelica reluctantly followed suit.

  What if she’s being controlled by him? She could be bewitched. Or perhaps blackmailed.

  “I-it’s good to see you again, V-Virgil,” Angelica stuttered as she extended her hand.

  Virgil took it. It was cold and clammy, trembling in his grasp.

  “Likewise.”

  “I know I could never beat you, but I-I’m gonna try my best, okay.”

  Virgil nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll do the same.”

  The combatants turned their backs to one another and walked back to their starting positions.

  I get it now, Virgil thought. She’s terrified. Terrified of me. He smiled. I can use that to my advantage.

  Virgil reached his starting position and turned to face Angelica. The siren blared, and Virgil focused his mana. Angelica raised her hands to Virgil, taking a battle stance, although it looked as if she could barely keep her knees from wobbling. Virgil turned his palm upward to the sky. The air became thick and saturated with an overwhelming heat. Angelica’s eyes grew wide, and her arms fell to her side. A lustrous blue glow bathed the battlefield, all emanating from the ball of fire hovering in the sky. The blazing sphere was massive, and only growing more ferocious with each passing second.

  “You, you’ll kill us both,” Angelica whimpered.

  “We won’t die,” Virgil said, his tone stoic. “It’s just gonna hurt a hell of a lot. Well, for you anyway. A good pyromancer can burn an entire forest down, but a great one will burn just a single little tree.”

  Tears poured from Angelica’s eyes as she turned around to run. “I surrender!” she screamed, pounding against the metal wall. “I SURRENDER!”

  Chapter 28

  Virgil took a deep breath as he left the arena. “Not my proudest moment,” he said to himself. “But I finished early. That’s what’s important.”

  Virgil made his way back to the stands. He looked up, expecting to find Olivia sitting there waiting for him, but instead found nothing.

  “Where could she have gone?” He looked the entire coliseum over, and still nothing. He closed his eyes. “Maybe she got a lead.”

  Virgil tuned his aura perception, searching for Olivia. Nothing. He expanded the search beyond the coliseum and found nothing still. He focused as hard as he possibly could. Sweat formed upon his brow as he scanned as far as his perception could reach, well beyond the walls of Akata Castle. Still, his effort turned up nothing. It was almost as if Olivia had never set foot on Akata Island at all.

  “This is bad,” Virgil said, his eyes shooting open as his shoulders tensed. “He must have gotten to her.”

  “Who must have gotten to who?” a familiar voi
ce said from behind Virgil.

  “Fynn.” Virgil spun around, his guard extended. “What are you doing here?”

  Fynn held up his hands. “Easy there. I come in peace. I promise.”

  “S-sorry,” Virgil said relaxing his guard. “I’m just a little high-strung right now.”

  “I see. You’re looking for Olivia. Right?”

  “Yeah. Have you seen her.”

  Fynn nodded. “I passed her in the hallway not too long ago. It seemed like she was in quite a hurry.”

  “Thanks, Fynn,” Virgil said, flashing a smile. “I owe you one.”

  Fynn returned the smile. “You don’t owe me a thing. I haven’t had a chance to thank you for what you did back in the Network, but don’t think for a second it goes unappreciated.”

  “You’re welcome, but I don’t think I did you much good. Your friends still turned their backs on you.”

  “They were never my friends. I talked to my father when I got out of the Network. His business deals are falling through left and right.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Virgil replied.

  “Don’t be,” Fynn said. “For a minute, I thought about how I could still take care of my family. I’m a Crusader now, after all. But as my dad laid into me, bitching about how I ruined everything, how I’m an embarrassment, how I’ll never be a noble, I realized something. He’s right.”

  “Fynn—”

  “No, he’s right,” Fynn said. “I’m not a noble. I tried to be for a long time, but I can’t do it. It’s just not me. But I’ll tell you what, I realized something else even more important.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “It’s not my job to take care of my father.” Fynn grinned. “I think I’m gonna do my own thing for a while. See where that takes me.”

  “Well, I’m glad you found peace with it.”

  Fynn turned his attention to Lucious and Paisley, sitting across the coliseum. “It’s funny,” he said. “Lucious tried to ruin my life, but all he did was set me free.”

  “Yeah,” Virgil said slowly, Lucious’s devilish grin sending an uneasy chill up his spine. “Is it just me, or does he seem awfully happy?”

  “I know that look. He’s up to something.” Lucious waved Virgil over. “Be careful,” Fynn said.

  “Oh, don’t worry. I’m not going over there.”

  Then it hit him. If Lucious was here, where was Aurelia? Virgil couldn’t recall seeing her face in the crowd or feeling her aura in his search. He made his way over to Lucious, keeping his eyes fixed on him.

  “What happened?” Virgil demanded, his nostrils flared, eyes narrowed to slits.

  “Is that really the tone you should be using when asking for something?” Lucious replied.

  “Don’t make me repeat it.”

  “You know, I was truly shocked to see your big light show earlier. You must have scared that poor girl to death. Who knew you could be so cruel?”

  Virgil exhaled as he balled his fists. “I’m beginning to lose my patience.”

  Lucious groaned. “I know you’re dense, but do I really need to spell it out for you?”

  “That bitch finally got what was coming to her,” Paisley joined in, satisfaction evident in her tone. “Man, do I wish I could have been the one to knock her down a peg, but I’ll settle for my hubby getting the job done.”

  “That’s not fair,” Lucious said as he turned to Paisley. “How’s he ever going to learn if you give him the answer?”

  Paisley ran her finger across Lucious’s chin. “Sorry, sweetie. I just didn’t think he would ever get it.”

  Virgil turned to walk away, confident in the fact that if he stayed any longer, he would do something he’d regret.

  “Oh Virgil,” Lucious called out. “One more thing.” Reluctantly, Virgil turned around, fighting the urge to set Lucious ablaze. “They took her away screaming like a little bitch.”

  Virgil rushed back over to Lucious and snatched his collar. His skin was hot. Rage bubbled inside him like molten lava, begging, pleading, screaming to be unleashed.

  “Go ahead,” Lucious goaded. “Show us all who you really are. A bullheaded, good for nothing, low-class hunter.”

  Virgil’s breaths were heavy and misty with steam. He looked around the coliseum. Nobody had noticed them yet. Everyone’s attention was still fixed on the battles taking place. He took in a deep breath and walked away. Lucious continued on, no doubt continuing to provoke Virgil, but he might as well had been speaking in another language. Virgil had but one thought on his mind—getting to Aurelia.

  It took but a moment for Virgil to lock on to Aurelia’s aura signature. It was faint and barely noticeable, but at least it was stable. Virgil rushed to her location. When he made it there, he burst into the room, only to be driven to tears. There she was, lying on the operating table. Her bloodied clothes sat in a pile on the floor, and a white sheet covered her delicate areas. There were cuts and bruises spread across her skin and frost-covered her body in patches. Even with the Saint’s Breath spell enveloping her, she shivered uncontrollably. Each breath she exhaled, as feeble as they were, was icy and hung in the air.

  Cordelia loomed over Aurelia, her glowing blue hands caressing Aurelia’s body. She was hard at work healing her, so much so she hadn’t even noticed Virgil had entered the room.

  “How is she?” Virgil asked, finally mustering up enough courage to approach.

  “Virgil!” Cordellia exclaimed spinning around. “You shouldn’t be here!”

  “I had to come and check on her.”

  “I know that,” Cordellia replied as she resumed her work. “I mean you shouldn’t see her like this. Once you’ve seen someone in such a broken state, it can be challenging to forget that image.”

  “I already know all about that.” Virgil’s hands clenched. A lump lodged deep in his throat. “Tell me. Is she going to be all right?”

  Cordellia frowned. “Of course. You already know that, too. Forgive me. It’s going to take some time, but it’s nothing I can’t fix.”

  Virgil smiled, but it didn’t last long. His relief faded and his burning rage took hold once again, threatening to consume him like a lit match. This is my fault, he thought. I pushed her to do this.”

  “You’re upset,” Cordellia said. “That’s understandable, but you mustn’t let that anger fuel you.”

  “I’m not upset,” Virgil replied, trying his best to temper his fury. “I’m upset when I stub my toe getting out of bed in the morning. I’m upset when a hunt gets away. This? This is infuriating.”

  “Again, that’s understandable, but—”

  “But nothing!” Virgil exclaimed. “How can you just sit there? How are you not more enraged than I am? Why are you letting this asshole walk around here like he owns the place?”

  Cordellia shot Virgil a look so cold he felt it in his bones. The Saint’s Breath disappeared, and Cordellia’s eyes glowed a brilliant blue. Ice began to coat the walls and furniture, and Virgil could see his breath before him as the temperature plummeted. He began shaking and his heartbeat slowed. His every instinct urged him to coat himself in a layer of thermal energy, but the cold dulled his senses, completely butchering his reaction speed.

  “Nothing would please me more than to bury that little prick in a mountain of ice so cold his spirit would freeze over.” Cordellia’s stare was as sharp as an arrow. Her eyes returned to normal, and warmth returned to the room. “Sadly, that’s not the way things work.”

  “W-what do you mean?” Virgil asked. “You’re a king. Surely-”

  “My power is great,” Cordellia said. “But there are forces in this world far greater than I.”

  “No,” Virgil replied. “My father always told me to avoid fighting with a king of the Crusaders at all costs. Even if you won, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.”

  Cordellia conjured the Saint’s Breath over Aurelia again. “You flatter me, but the truth of the matter is the Crusader’s Alliance would not exist if no
t for the aid of wealthy nobles such as Lucious and his family. As ugly as it is, that is a fact.”

  “It can’t be worth it to have to deal with people like him. To allow them into positions that could influence so many people. It just—it can’t be worth the trouble.”

  “We do our best to screen out as many problems as we can. We take those stones which are a little rough around the edges and polish them into fine gems. Much like what we’re doing with you.”

  Virgil paused for a moment. “And what happens when your best isn’t good enough?”

  “Then we deal with the consequences of our failure.”

  “Where is she?” Logan demanded, bursting his way through the door, nearly ripping it from its hinges.

  Logan looked past Virgil to find his sister lying on the table. Frantically, he rushed over to her side, nearly toppling Virgil over in the process.

  “Aurelia,” he whimpered as he took her by the hand. He then turned to Cordellia. His eyes were watery and shot red with anguish. “Please. Please tell me she’s going to be okay.”

  “She’ll be fine,” Cordellia said. “I just need time to put her back together again.”

  Logan’s tears began to slow. “Thank you.”

  Virgil stood there quiet, unsure of whether he should go or stay. He desperately wanted to be there for Aurelia. Then again, they weren’t really friends. Logan had made that abundantly clear. Of course, she had been there for him when he needed her, and that was enough to keep Virgil rooted right there.

  “Virgil,” Logan said, his eyes still fixed on Aurelia. “I’m sure you can’t stand to even look at me right now, and I know I have no right to do this, but I need to ask you for a favor.”

  “What is it?” Virgil asked.

  “I need you to forfeit your next match.”

  Virgil’s brow raised. “Excuse me?”

  “You’re fighting Lucious in the next round, right?”

  Virgil shoulders tensed, and he clenched his fists. “Yeah,” he said, his tone low and determined.