She wasn’t.
She whipped her eidolon forward and took off his arm and nearly half of his right side, causing him to teeter over from the loss of the weight. His body slammed into the ground at the same time Leslie managed to graze the other cheek with his knuckles. Frustrated, Leslie tried to tackle her, but with a burst of speed fueling her legs, she was able to pivot and let him go flying into the grass.
Her body shuddered from exhaustion, but she wasn’t yet finished.
She told it to shut up or die.
She grunted as she took a step back on her aching sole. Leslie rose to his feet and looked to his fallen comrades. Once he noticed that Burt was still breathing, albeit barely, he decided to be smart.
He abandoned the mission.
Keeping a wary eye on Remi who had reverted back to her normal state, he picked up Burt’s bleeding, limp body and began running deep into the woods.
“If you come back, I’ll finish the job!” she screamed, her voice echoing off the foliage. She clutched her sore throat and then turned to the people who she once considered friends.
“Fight me,” she demanded. Olivia and Eckard shook nervously. “I said fight me.”
“I’m not going to do that,” Olivia said, positioning her hand over the hilt of her sheathed sword. “There’s no point to this.”
“There is,” Remi replied, glancing momentarily at Kace. He was groaning and coming to.
Good, she thought. He’s not well enough to fight yet. I don’t want him to interfere.
“You have to fight me,” Remi stated. “Because until you come at me with all you’ve got, and I win, you’ll never respect me, let alone like me. You’ll continue to think I’m a liability when I’ve already proven over and over that when I must, I rise to the occasion. If beating you at your best won’t make you face the truth, then I don’t know what will.”
“I could hurt you,” Olivia said. Remi threw her hands up in the air.
“That’s what I’m talking about. You still think you’re better than me. But you’re afraid of who you’ll become if you admit it. Just do it already. Say it. Say you’re better. It coats your words every time you talk to me. It’s the topic of almost every conversation you have behind my back. It’s painfully obvious, so you might as well just admit it and then come over here for your ass whooping.”
“Fine,” Olivia said, glancing over at Eckard. “That means you too.”
“I know,” he mumbled. He reached back under his poncho and produced a sword that resembled a dagger in form. It was just a little longer.
“Thank you for this,” Remi said, sprinting toward them and letting the white Sage robe materialize around her, as if the wind itself was clothing her. Eckard surprisingly attacked first. He crouched low and just as Remi finished blinking, he was in her face, already thrusting his blade slowly into her stomach.
Thankfully, she was already anticipating a finishing blow from the start. She allowed the blade to continue piercing while she activated her armor, just where her abdomen was.
Eckard’s blade bounced off of her stomach but that didn’t deter him. He spun around and swung at her neck. She was sure he wasn’t out to kill her. He wasn’t the type. So that meant he was aiming to distract. She ducked under the blow, but she kept her eyes at his other hand, which was clenched, cocked, and aiming straight for her chin in an uppercut fashion.
She accepted the blow.
The hit was so strong that it lifted her off her feet for a moment, but she couldn’t concentrate on the pain. She let her Sage robes dematerialize, giving off the illusion of defeat.
It was Eckard’s undoing.
She could see him smile as her toes hit the grass and immediately she lunged toward him, transforming her body into the suit of armor. She fell on top of him with her full weight.
He heaved under her weight, losing all the air in her body while she winced under the crunch of steel against shattered bone. Eckard blacked out.
The armor fell off of her like a shell, and the pieces vanished into thin air. She climbed to her feet, using Eckard’s body as support and then she faced her rival. Olivia had her sword blazing so hot that it had turned white, and the look on her face was nothing short of contempt.
“I didn’t kill him,” Remi said. “Just some cracked ribs and a warning to never mess with me again.”
“You’re nuts,” Olivia said, inching forward.
“Why didn’t you help him back there?” Remi asked, trying to steady her breath. “You would have had a better chance of winning if the two of you attacked me at once.”
“Because I can beat you all by myself.”
“There’s that foolish pride again.”
“I haven’t shown you everything I can do, Remi.”
“And obviously, neither did I. I never revealed that armor technique to you.”
“No...you sure didn’t. What’s the point of that anyways? You can’t move when you’re in it.”
“That is the point,” Remi sighed. “My body can’t take too many hits. Even that uppercut back there hurt like crazy. It feels like my jaw is about to fall off…I had to come up with a way to protect myself.”
“My blade can cut through that armor of yours. I’m sure of it.”
“It probably can. I need a long time to build up density.”
“Then just admit that you’re weak and we’ll put an end to this.”
“And then what? Go back to being friends and just travel together like nothing happened? No thank you.”
“Wait,” Olivia blinked. “What do you mean? We’re not traveling together after this?”
“You actually thought I would?”
“But you need me to protect you…or to keep you warm.”
“I’ll manage on my own. Besides, after what I heard you say to the Langorans, I can’t trust you.”
“I gave you up because they would have killed us all, not because I wanted to.”
“You’re lying, but that’s okay. I proved you were wrong. They couldn’t do anything to us in the end.”
“How was I supposed to know how it would all turn out?”
“I don’t know. But you sure showed who you are. Now come at me already. We’re both wasting energy.”
“Is that what I want?” Olivia scoffed, examining her friend. “Because it looks to me like you’re barely standing. Maybe I should just wait this out.”
“Fine, I’ll come to you,” Remi sighed. She took one step forward and Olivia lost it. She screamed in rage as she swung her blazing sword at Remi, slicing through the trees around her whenever she missed. Remi kept her focus tight on Olivia’s movements, recalling how she moved and what they had worked on together in training. No matter how much Olivia claimed she had secret moves, Remi was confident that it was just another lie.
Olivia was transparent to nearly all but herself. And Remi was going to prove it.
“Transform!” Olivia shouted as she nearly brought the fiery blade down onto Remi’s head. Remi refused. She knew that she was taking a big risk, but the rewards of winning far outweighed the consequences of losing. For the sake of her friend’s sanity and growth, as well as her own, Olivia had to have her pride broken.
“TRANSFORM!” Olivia roared as her swings became shorter in succession. Remi was barely able to keep up with the assault now, but she told her body not to stop. Just a little longer. Just a little more kindling of Olivia’s fire.
“Why aren’t you transforming?” Olivia practically wept, attempting a weak kick at Remi’s torso. Remi side-stepped it and then slammed her right fist into Olivia’s face, sending her reeling backwards into a tree. As the back of her head hit the tree, her arm flailed up and swiped through it, bringing down the giant over them both.
Remi rolled out of the way as Olivia sliced through it just as it came on top of her. She was safe, but shaken. Remi moved in quickly. Before Olivia could gain her composure, Remi punched her hard again, and then again. Dodged a swing of Olivia’s blade, an
d then continued her attack.
No boosts in power. No extra speed. No Sage abilities.
Just solid bone against raw flesh.
Olivia cried out as she was hit once again, and she fell onto her butt. Remi kicked Olivia’s hand and the blazing hot sword was thrust to the side, slowly leaving a scar into the soil it lay upon. Remi jumped on top of Olivia and began hitting her mercilessly, ignoring her pleas.
Olivia wouldn’t stop if the situation was reversed. And Remi needed her to know that she didn’t have to either.
She was more in control than her friend realized.
Remi hit her friend in the cheek one last time and then she got up. She nearly stumbled from the vertigo, feeling the adrenaline leaving her body. But it didn’t matter. It was finished.
Kace strolled over to her and she fell into his arms. He picked her up and was about to say something when he heard her lightly snoring. He looked over at Eckard and Olivia. Eckard was still unconscious but Olivia was wide awake, weeping over the wounds Remi had inflicted on her. He didn’t bother asking if she was okay. He just left her writhing while he walked on with Remi in his embrace.
Chapter 11 – Things Just Might Work Out
“I can walk,” Remi muttered, but Kace acted like he didn’t even hear her speak. Remi cleared her throat. “I said I can walk.”
“I heard you the first time,” he said. “But I’m still not going to let you.”
“Why?” she asked, opening her eyes. It was a bittersweet moment—not having to fight the sun’s blinding rays, but still feeling the disappointment of knowing that she had been sleeping for hours. She yawned while trying not to move too much. “Where are we headed?”
“Away from Langorans,” he said. “But other than that, I have no clue.”
“That’s fine. As long as we’re putting some distance between us and this mess. I just don’t get it.”
“Get what exactly?”
“How people think that others are inferior just because they have one thing wrong with them. It’s funny how those who are blind or disabled or deaf or sick are looked down upon, but those in good health might have something even worse wrong with them. What’s worse? Being blind and a good person, or being in full health but you’re a bully? I don’t get it, Kace. Why do people act like ego isn’t a disease?”
“I know what you mean,” he replied. “The Quietus are a very proud people—so much that they deny nearly all aid thrown their way. The result is that we are divided and living in pockets all around Terra when we should already have a stable location to call home. I wish they would get their act together. But since I don’t see that happening anytime soon, I keep my distance.”
“It might be strange to say…but I’m kind of glad that I have this sickness. At least it keeps me humbled. I can sit back and focus on improving myself instead of forcing my will on others.”
“I feel the same way.”
Remi laughed. “What are you talking about? You’re in perfect health.”
“What makes you say that?” he snickered. “You don’t know what’s going on inside of me.”
“Well, based on your rippling muscles and your strength, I can see that you work on yourself physically. And you’re kind and good to me. So I would say that makes you perfect.”
“But you didn’t address my internal health. What if I’m as sick as you?”
“Like I said, you’re in perfect health to me.”
“Careful now. I might just fall for a little of that flattery.”
“Then perhaps you should have a thicker skin. You know what? I changed my mind. You’re not perfect anymore. I don’t know what I ever saw in you.”
“You’re sure something,” he chuckled. He stopped and craned his neck to slightly look behind them. Remi studied his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’re being followed. I heard something. A whisper.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t the wind?”
“Positive,” he said, crouching low and letting Remi down to the ground. “We’re not really hidden here. The trees are a lot thinner in width, but if we stay low, they might pass by us.”
“How many of them are there?”
“Two. But…wait. I know this scent. Remi, it’s Olivia and Eckard.”
Remi sighed and stood to her feet. Kace tried to reach out and pull her back down but she swatted his hand away.
“You haven’t rested enough!” Kace shouted in a whisper and she turned her head around to give him a hardened glare. He sucked his teeth in response. Remi stood vigil and closed her eyes, taking in the little rest she could gather. Eckard and Olivia must have realized she was waiting as they suddenly picked up their pace, and after a couple minutes had passed, they were in sight.
Remi gazed upon them wearily. Eckard was limping toward them while holding his sides with both hands. Olivia wasn’t limping, but her body was tired. Occasionally she would touch one of the many bruises on her face and wince.
They didn’t call out to her nor did they sprint to her once they saw that she had noticed them. They made their way to her gingerly.
“I’m sorry,” Olivia said first, moving her lips slowly so that her wounds wouldn’t cry out. Eckard nodded and responded in kind. Remi sighed and kept her guard up. “I was stupid,” Olivia said, bowing her head in shame. “I looked down on you, and I shouldn’t have. I had forgotten how powerful you could be when you put your mind to it. When we were kids, I thought of us as equals, even though that was when you were at your sickest, and when we got older…somehow I forgot. I’m so, so sorry.”
“And I was a fool,” Eckard said. “I questioned my faith in you when you’ve proven that you are exactly what I was looking for from the very beginning. I hope that you can forgive us.”
Remi noticed Kace stepping next to her. She glanced at him for his opinion on the matter but he merely nodded in her direction. It was up to her what happened next.
“I can forgive you,” Remi said. “We fought and it’s over. So I don’t really have any ill-will against either of you…but I can’t travel with you any longer.”
“But we trained for over a year,” Olivia exclaimed, ignoring the pain coming from her face. “We planned this trip together. Now you’re going to ditch me out here in the wilderness?”
“You were going to do the same thing to me only a few hours ago.”
“I knew you didn’t forgive us,” Olivia snapped. “You’re going to hold this over our heads, aren’t you?”
“No, I forgive you. The thing is…I’m not stupid. You were ready to let the Langorans kidnap me, hurt me or worse, all to save your own skin. I wouldn’t have done the same to you because I thought we were sisters, but now I see that we’re completely different people. I don’t hold a grudge against you. It was your decision to make. But for my own self-preservation and my sanity, we can’t be around each other. It’s not fair to me, and it’s also not fair to you.”
“It was a mistake.”
“But a costly one,” Kace said. “There’s a lot more dangers ahead of us. We haven’t even faced Cimmerian directly yet, and you already betrayed us. How would you feel if it was the other way around? If we had given you up?”
“I think that—”
“—I’ll tell you,” Kace interrupted. “We would be dead right now. That’s what would have happened. Because even though you don’t want to admit it, all you care about is yourself.”
“Where will you go now?” Eckard asked.
“Wherever we like,” Remi answered for him.
“You won’t go to Paragon? What about the Sages?”
“I’ll think about it,” she said to his dismay.
“But my mission…”
“You were willing to let your mission die back there so just consider it dead now.”
“What will I tell the Sages though? After losing Scarlet, they won’t be happy to hear that you’re not with me either.”
“Deal with it,” she said. “Or don
’t go back at all. Honestly, if I do come across the Sages, I’m going to make sure to tell them what happened with the Langorans. For their sake.”
“I might be exiled.”
“That’s not my concern.”
“Look at you,” Olivia said angrily. “Sitting up there on your throne, deciding the fate of your subjects and having the nerve to say that I’m the selfish one.”
“Every single person on this planet comes across great decisions in their life,” Remi said to her, as a mother would to a child. “Decisions that will affect the lives of others on a grand scale. When that moment comes…what you decide…determines what kind of person you are.”
“You know what this means, don’t you?” Olivia snapped. “We’re done. No longer friends.”
“That’s up to you. I just said we can’t travel together right now. Doesn’t mean we can’t meet up later in life and continue on hand in hand.”
“I don’t need your crippled hands,” Olivia spat, spinning around and storming away. Eckard sighed wearily and followed behind her awkwardly. Remi could hear him shouting for her to wait up.
“You made the right decision,” Kace said. “We can’t trust them.”
“I never truly could trust Olivia,” Remi admitted. “But I couldn’t let her know that. I had hoped she would abandon the path she was on and just be my friend, but I guess that was wishful thinking.”
“They’ll be okay,” Kace said, putting his hand on Remi’s shoulder. “I know you still care about her.”
“I don’t want to,” she sighed. “But it’s true.”
“Come on. Let’s keep moving. It’s going to be dark soon.”
* * *
“Treehouses,” Kace breathed in awe. “Oh wow. I thought they weren’t real.”
“Treehouses?” Remi asked, looking upwards. There were several worn and rotting shacks high up in the canopy of the forest, each one looking as if it was going to fall down on their heads at any moment. “Are they traps?”
“No. They were once homes,” he turned to give Remi a smile. “For my people.”
“We’re near a Quietus encampment?”
“No,” he chuckled. “Not even close. The Quietus stick to the borders of Paragon or Cimmerian respectively. They wouldn’t be out here.”
The Sorcerer's Ring (Book 1) Page 11