by Melanie Ray
He closed his eyes, wishing Yed could actually save them. The thought of what Fayu could do to his wife! And his children. Whatever he did to Xiam, changed him. Whatever he did to Iri, broke her.
It would be hell for Muin. “Stop and think. They've got the babies, remember?”
“I won't let him touch me,” Muin said fiercely, “Not physically, not mentally, I'd rather die!” She grabbed him back. “You take care of the kids. I'll go.”
“No, Muin-”
“I am not giving you a choice!” Muin shouted. “I am not living that way. Ever.” Her eyes were filled with so much tension, Zaria would never had crossed her in the past. But her life was on the line, as well as the children's. “He'll kill me as soon as he's done. He'll kill all of us.”
Zaria knew at that moment, she did know. She wasn't saying 'Yed will come' for herself. She was saying it for them. Even she knew Yed couldn't make it through this.
“Honestly, this is getting ridiculous.” Fayu tried to rip Zaria off. “I will have your hands chopped off, I warned you.”
Muin grabbed him tightly and kissed him. Then, she pushed Zaria back. “And I warned you!”
Zaria screamed as he watched Muin leap off the cliff. He reached for her, almost falling in himself. He landed on his knees, his hand outstretched, barely touching hers for the last time.
He stayed there, on the ground, reaching out his hand for a whole minute. His body unable to move as he knew she'd already hit by then.
His world became blurry as his vision disappeared. It was nothing but a wavy world, devoid of Muin. His outreached hand he finally pulled inward, but he was unable to wipe his own tears. He just sat on the ground, unable to believe she was really gone.
Muin was strong-willed. And Fayu trying to control her, it pushed her over the edge. The thought of Fayu controlling Muinela was tough, but imagining that she'd . . .
Yed heard a scream through his communicator. He pulled it out and pulled it to her ear. What was going on?
“Well, that didn't work out the way I wanted it,” Fayu complained through the communicator. “Nevertheless, I am guessing you can figure out what happened.”
No, no! Yed listened to the screaming. “No,” he whispered to himself. It sounded like Zaria. When he heard the bellow of Muin, he knew.
He sank to his knees. Gone. She was gone. All the time he had spent with her. As children. On Earth. She had been family, closer than his own.
And she was gone. Fayu enjoyed himself as he flaunted scaring her so bad that she couldn't take it. Yed would never believe that. Muin would rather die than end up with Fayu.
And she did.
The birds flew out of the trees, startled as the king of the Warno Kingdom screamed, as if dying himself. A very part of him felt like it did.
Muin.
He heard some whispers and comforts through the communication. People wanted to share their sympathy for their king. But there was nothing they could say to help.
“Well, I've got some news,” Fayu's voice came through the communicator. “Since these two were so close, I find death so separating for the living. So, I'll let Zaria go with one of his children. You choose, King Yeducavich.”
Choose?
“Boy or girl? Choose. Choose now, or I'll kill them both. Well, okay then.”
“Girl!” Yed couldn't choose between the children, but he had to pick one. He heard Zaria scream again, pleading and begging.
“Off he goes with his little girl in tow.” Fayu laughed. “Don't know what I should do with the boy, but he's coming down the mountain. Everyone will come down this mountain eventually, until I have Ezraponia.”
There was no more communication.
Chapter 97
THROUGH EYES OF PINK
Yed took several minutes to grieve over his loss. Muinela was gone. Ezra's communicator was still off. Once Ezra knew, would he lose her too? He had to get there faster, but on all fours, it wasn't easy. There had also been heavy rain and lightning in the sky almost since he took off, but the rain was coming down in bouts of hail now, bruising his skin.
He knew it was him causing it. Losing his Chronicle, he had that kind of power, but he couldn't control it. If only he could! His raging thoughts caused lightning to strike around him. Not a good combination with the water.
He had to move faster. He was almost there, just a little faster.
Iri continued to look ahead. Muin had the courage she didn't have. She was right too, he would have killed her. Once he takes them, they feel dead inside. How to smile, and how to laugh. It no longer existed. There was nothing but tears and regret. She turned to look toward Xiamipoc.
Drool piled up at his feet. If he stepped forward, he could fall from the mud. The sky continued to pour massive amounts of rain, but she could still make out the pink dead eyes from him.
Oh, how she loved that warno, but this was it. She reached her hand to him. He raised his weapon, but Fayu's voice warned him about cutting her hand off. A monster. A drooling monster who wanted nothing but to kill.
But he was her monster. And she was only delaying the inevitable. “I know you can't hear me, Xiam. I know that we've never been able to reach any Pinks before.” She laid her fingers on his blade. “But I still need you to know. I don't blame you for anything you have ever done. Love makes you do strange things. Things you thought you could never do, they come to the surface as possibilities. I would have loved you no matter what. Even with you here, now. I'm glad it's you.”
“No, no.” Fayu waved her off and grabbed her arm. “Sorry, but your replacement just bit the big one. No one else is dying today, I just need Yed to think your still in peril. Ezraponia will come to me, one way or another. I don't care how many people I have to hurt, she is coming to me.”
Iri nodded as he let go. She said her goodbyes. A part of her screamed no, while another screamed yes. For all she knew, she could be carrying Fayu's child in her body right now. He could have been physical while playing with her mentally. The thought didn't bother her too much, being physical. It was the mental that killed her! No warno deserved the things he showed them. She didn't want to see it anymore! It was probably what turned her poor husband into a Pink.
But if he had been physical, what kind of life would that be? She felt scared before, even after all that had happened. Fayu was crueler than anyone ever imagined. Being touched by him, it made her shiver each time.
Muin had been brave enough to say no. She had said her goodbyes. Iridescent looked over the cliff. It was a long way down, but she'd never feel the impact. She would die before she hit. A rush, and then the end. That's all it would take. “I love you, Xiam, no matter what.”
A simple jump. Not even five feet long. The wind rushed around her and she closed her eyes, remembering the life she wanted to remember. Memories of Vallencio. Memories of Xiam.
An odd stack of mnui being served to a table, with Xiam smiling at her . . .
Yed stopped briefly as he heard Fayu.
“Damn.”
There was no scream, but he could guess.
“Iridescent is gone. All that's left is Ezra's brother, so you had better hurry!” Fayu sounded panicked. “I am warning you, he will die. And, I have a surprising backup. These are only the warm-ups.”
Yed started climbing again. Muin's death was tragic, but it was on her own terms. Same with Iri. So far, Fayu didn't have a choice about whose death to cause. Xiam was the last one.
And it was time he put it all to an end.
Ezra looked at her communicator. She turned it on briefly, to see how it was going. She wouldn't rush Yed, he would need time. Not that he could do anything. The weather had a bitter chill, and the heavy rainstorms still didn't stop. “Yed?” He didn't respond right away. “Yed?”
“I'm right here.”
She turned, startled as she heard his voice. His arms and hands were covered in bruises and scratches. He came to her? “What are you doing here?”
Chapter 98
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JUMP
“I couldn't lose you. I already knew where you wanted to go, but on all fours, you had to be on the lowest cliff.” Yed ran to her and held her tight in his grip. “Xiam is a Pink, and he will never change back. Muin sacrificed herself, and Iri is gone too.”
Ezra felt like someone slugged her in the gut. “No.” She shook her head. “No!”
“I couldn't save them. If I had tried, I'd still be a day away, even in my normal condition.” Yed held onto her tighter. “Zaria came down with his girl. Fayu is keeping the boy still. I don't know why he's keeping the boy, but he's getting desperate for you, so he'll probably use him again.”
“No!” Ezra reached out, trying to get out of Yed's grasp.
“I lost Muin, and it was hard.” Yed kept her hands back. “I lost Iri and Xiam, neither of those were easy. But damn it, I will die if I lose you!” He held her even tighter, only loosening his grip slightly when he realized he had been gripping too hard. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab that tight.”
“We thought they were dead before,” Ezra denied as she used the rain against her face as a shield. “It's got to be a trick. To fool Fayu.”
“It's not. It's a mountain with an army all around them. It's no trick, Ezra. Muin and Iri are gone. Xiam is a Pink, so he is gone.” Yed embraced her, trying to get her to do the same. “I'm sorry, but that's the truth.”
“I can't believe it.” Ezra felt tears come down her cheek as she cried on his shoulder. She finally gave in and released her tense body into his, letting him embrace her. “No.” She gripped his shoulder tightly. “He'll just keep coming after me, hurting anyone he can find that even knew me.”
“You destroyed your Chronicle.” Yed had reached for the cover. “I know it's hard, but you'll miss those memories.”
Ezra shoved the cover over the edge with her feet. “Just let it die. Everything dies.”
Yed stroked her back, when he heard a familiar gurgle. Not just a baby gurgle. He knew that gurgle well. He felt Ezra freeze as he did.
“Brothers and sisters aren't important enough for Ezraponia?” Fayu's voice said to the communicator. “Then how about her own?”
Neither of them moved as they heard Carressella's cry.
“One thing you need to remember, Yeducavich, when trusting family?” Fayu chuckled as Carressella cooed. “Make sure they remember you better than someone else.”
Yed's body slumped forward more against hers. No, oh no. “Phaver?” Yed's sister. His own sister.
“She knows your mother, but not you. She is still the same as before, so was your mother.” Fayu let out a strange guffaw. “I call it irony. Now, I suggest you get over here soon. I've got four new victims, and the numbers are rising.”
Static rode on the airwaves.
Ezra yelled, pounding on his chest. “You left them!”
“With my sister.” Yed looked toward her. “Phaver was never a waryes. They weren't affected, and she didn't remember me. I had tried to make her remember, but she was still a good warno. I remembered her from another time.”
But compared to betraying someone you don't remember against your own mother? Ezra understood, but she still wanted his sister to die. “She stole our children. She gave them to him.” She struggled to get away from him. “There's nothing we can do. Xiam. Muin. My own children!” She slugged both her fists to the ground. “Only more will be killed. I have to end this.”
“No. Never.” Yed fought to keep her from getting up. “You are not ending it!”
“He'll kill them.” Ezra tried to get out of his grasp. “The kingdom will never be changed back as long as I am-” The rest of the sentence was gone though, as soon as familiar cries hit her ears. The same cries that called to have it's diaper changed, or that had a nightmare.
Ezra screamed and became so off balance, she started to tumble. Yed reached for her, almost falling himself.
He held her foot with everything he had, but he was balancing his body by grabbing a small tree nearby. Not very big, it couldn't hold on long. “Ezra!”
“Yed.” Ezra tried to reach up, but she wasn't strong enough. “This will end Fayu. I'll pull you down if you don't let go.”
“Then you pull me down.” Yed loosened his grip on the sapling. There was no way he could pull her up, not with the way his back and arms had been formed. If he had taken his father's surgery instead of wanting to be on alert, maybe he could have. It was just another screw up in the fabric of time. “I told you before. If you go, I go.”
“The weather.” Ezra said, her body strangely calming down. She held her malformed hand out, wishing she could touch the rain inside of her palm. “There has been quite a storm today. But, it's only sprinkling now. Are we ready?”
“I'm ready for whatever is next.” Yed held her grip tighter. “Okay. On the count of three.” Yed looked toward her one more time. “One.”
“Two,” Ezra said bravely, looking back toward him.
“Three.” Yed let go of the tree, free falling hand in hand with Ezra.
But death's door was not their next stop.
Chapter 99
THE IMPOSSIBLE TIME
Yed screamed as he felt a massive charge in his heart. Light shined all over, he couldn't block it.
Then the sound of an alarm crept into his mind. A somewhat familiar alarm. A simple chime that his unconscious remembered. He reached out and felt something beneath his hand. The alarm stopped ringing as he held the button.
He opened his eyes.
A place he had no recollection of. Yed sat up in bed, looking around. There was no one around. He got up, inspecting the room. It was small, and messy beyond belief. Standing up, he sauntered over toward a closet. Inside, he saw several uniforms of a guard.
Impossible. He should be dead. What was this, where was he?
“Yed!”
He heard a voice. A new voice at the door. He unlocked it and looked. Some warnos, partygoers were at his front door. Genuine warnos, their tails were multi colored. It was the strangest thing he'd ever seen. Some had ringed tails with white, some had ringed tails of black, and some had black and white around other colors. One of them had a black tail, but the tuft at the top of it was silver.
“Partying down at the local bar tonight,” the guy said at the door. “Hot females everywhere and not a Protector in sight. Come on, may get lucky.”
Lucky? Females? “No.” He closed the door, not wanting to go anywhere until he knew what had happened.
After his strange predatory friends disappeared, he walked out and around. The tail colors were everywhere. Some were solid colors, and some were even straight black. All of them though, they didn't even get to the level of Slick. How was that possible?
He watched a couple touring the castle. They both had furry black tails, but their children didn't. The son holding his father's hand had a red tail with black stripes, while the baby in the stroller had tips of blue peeking out from beneath it's covers.
As if things couldn't get stranger, Xiam walked up to him. “Yed, could you come over tonight? I need to study for my next test harder. I'll make some mnui for you if you do.”
“What test?” Yed asked, curious. “For a restauranteur?”
“A what?” Xiam raised his eyebrow. “No, ceremony conductor. You know I'm almost an assistant ceremony conductor. A few more tests.”
What the heck was a ceremony conductor? “Yeah, okay.” He didn't know this world at all. There wasn't just a few things different, everything was different.
He jumped off a cliff, and ended up in another time. He had to start all over again, but now, he had no idea what to do. There was no recollection of anything happening. “Xiam, how are your sisters?”
“My sisters?” Xiam gave him a funny look. “Who the heck is there besides Muin?”
Another blow. Ezra wasn't even Xiam's sister. Time was just messing with him now. “Do you know anyone called Ezraponia?”
“No.” Xiam rubbed his head. “Not
that I can recall.” He smiled at Yed. “Oh wait, the new waitress downtown? A bunch of us all tried to see the new girl. Her dad is out of town for a couple of days, otherwise you’d be thrown out just for looking at her.” He placed his hand behind his mouth and whispered to him. “You should have came last night, she might have been your type. The guys dropped by my place, didn't they drop by yours?”
“Yeah, I guess. I didn't feel like going out.” So Ezraponia was now a waitress. At least she was safe and sound with her rightful family. One day, he would have to visit her. Right now though, his head was all jumbled. Did she skip time with him too, or did she die in the other world?
“Do you think you'll get a chance to meet King Hortencia again?” Xiam asked. “That was neat last time.”
King Hortencia? King Sheward didn't even exist. How come? Everyone was unaffected by the war, but royal blood was royal blood. Where had King Sheward gone? “Maybe. I'll see you later, Xiam.”
“Wait right there!” With all the fury of a mighty storm, Muin approached Yed in a pink short skirt outfit and a boa. The strangest fashion statement she had ever made so far. “You two aren't going anywhere.”
Xiam slapped his head. “We've gone over this. Even dad said it, no dating Zaria.”
“But you've got to give him a chance. He knows I'm young, and he won't do anything wrong.” Muin stood right in front of Yed. “Well?”
“I'm sure the guys fine, but what say do I have?” Yed shrugged. That was only for family to decide. If he had been a Protector he could have forcefully had a say.
“Uh huh stop being mean, brother,” Muin answered. “Can I or can't I?” She begged 'please' for thirty seconds, while Yed was trying to understand her words.
“Brother?” Okay. No way. What the heck? He looked toward Xiam. “Are we family?”
“Are you mental?” Muin knocked her hand on his head. “Yeducavich Cattral, this isn't funny.” She placed her hands on her hips. “This is serious. I care about Zaria.”
Yeducavich Cattral?! Yed looked around at the both of them, back and forth. Brother? Ezraponia was not their sister, and he was their brother? Carressella had to be screwing around. “How can I be a Cattral? I'm Smilliat. My father was a Protector. How could this be?”