Darlings

by Ashley Swisher

  He nodded and added. “Go now, hurry and when you’re back, find the Elite. They will help you.”

  Gwen breathed hard as she stepped back into her own body. The rest was a blur. She found the energy channel between Tiger and herself. It was much more difficult than she expected to give the energy back. It was as if she were swimming up a waterfall, the current of energy pushing back at her. Gwen forced it slowly and steadily back to the girl until she remembered no more.

  She awoke to Lily’s cold hands shaking her shoulders. “Gwen. Gwen wake up you did it!” she said smiling. “She’s alright. You came back.” Lily hugged Gwen as she opened her groggy eyes. Aeton. She had to get to Aeton. Gwen forced herself to sit up and swing her shaking legs over the side of the bed. “Woah,” Lilly said. “Careful.”

  “Help me,” Gwen said and Lily tugged as Gwen stood. “I need to get to Aeton,” she muttered pointed across the large room. Gwen looked to Tiger and saw her rolling around on the bed her dark hair a mess. A faint smile spread across Gwen’s flushed face. Tiger was ok. Gwen and Lily staggered through the crowd to the dark skinned boy still standing alone. Everyone was silent as the pair stumbled across the barracks to him. Without a word, Gwen placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder and stopped with just the right amount of energy. Aeton fell to his knees as Gwen instinctively held out her hand to touch a nearby shoe. The shoe turned to ash before her eyes. Gwen knew what Rynnal wanted her to do. One by one, she carefully touched each of the immortals collars, turning them to dust. They laughed and squealed at the relief of the restraints. Many were left with open bloody sores and gouges where the needles had ripped their skin. Gwen felt stronger as the last of the immortals collars dissipated. She placed her hand once more on Aeton and struggled but indeed returned his ability.

  Gwen hollered as she addressed the crowd. “Everyone! Even though your collars are gone your work is not done. The hard part is yet to come. You have to break the barrier of your mantican. Take your energy fuel it with anger towards this place, fuel it with resentment, with hatred if you must. You must break your mantican’s barrier for us to stand a chance.”

  “How will we know when it’s broken?” a girl shouted over the crowd.

  “You’ll feel it snap...and hear their voice. Now hurry. Concentrate. Be strong we don’t have much time.” Gwen watched as they closed their eyes in concentration.

  “It’s gone!” someone yelled.

  “I did it!” another shouted. Soon the room was full of fully bonded immortals, ready for revenge.

  “You really did it Gwen,” Lily smiled.

  Gwen nodded solemnly. Her expressionless face was stained with tears as she quickly ran back to the cover of the tent like bunk. She sat on the edge holding back sobs as Lilly approached.

  “What happened?”

  Gwen stared straight ahead as she answered Lily. “He sent me here.”

  “Who sent you here?” Lily asked her black eyebrows furrowed.

  “Pete did,” Gwen answered, her gaze still unchanging.

  “Why?” Lily managed to get out.

  Finally Gwen looked into Lily’s confused eyes, “To save Tiger.”

  Lily stared at Gwen in disbelief. “Did you know?” Gwen asked softly.

  “Gwen. I had absolutely had no idea, I swear.”

  In that moment Gwen knew she was telling the truth. “They’re coming. I got to Andrew he warned them. I went to them. They’re preparing.”

  “Gwen I am so sorry,” Lily bit her luscious bottom lip. “Did he say anything about…me?” Gwen could tell she was embarrassed even asking.

  “No. Nothing,” she replied a little sharper than she knew she should have.

  The hard expression returned to the tanned beauty’s face. “Alright then. We should get going.”

  Gwen somewhat regretted her cutting comment seeing the hurt in Lily’s face but there was no time for apologies. Gwen had to prepare herself for war. She wiped her face and made her way back into the middle of the room.

  “I hope everyone has practiced,” Gwen announced, making her even more aware of her inexperience. She figured this was not the first battle some of the immortals before her had fought in.

  “What’s he plan?” a short blond boy asked.

  Gwen wasn’t sure. “I…I…we fight our way to our manticans. I hope you all have been in contact. Once we reach them, we fight. We take out as many pirates as we can and we escape. Pete will be leading his army to attack from outside the fences, while we’ll be fighting from the inside out. We can do this,” she reminded herself. “How many telekinetics do we have?” Gwen

  searched the crowd for raised hands. She counted seven. “Alright. We need to bust out of here. Can you unlock the doors?”

  A girl with braided hair shouted, “Yes. I’ve unlocked many, larger than these.”

  “Alright then. As soon as I give the go, you unlock the door and we fight…good luck,” Gwen said, though sure she was the one that would require luck.

  She took position near the back of the group and addressed Lily. “We have to stay together.” Lily nodded holding her sleepy daughter in her arms. Gwen caught a glance at Tiger’s petite face. So peaceful and innocent. Why hadn’t he asked her to save his daughter? Did he think she would refuse? Would she have?

  “Ready?” Lily asked.

  She touched her mark. Ready to turn?

  Waiting she heard back in his sultry revenge filled voice.

  “Everyone ready! Get set! We fight!” Gwen commanded. The doors unlocked and Gwen heard the blood curdling shrieks as pirates and immortals alike began to fight. They poured out of the barracks like a real army. An army full of personal revenge. The worst kind. Worse than highly skilled and methodically trained killers. They had a powerful axe to grind.

  As the sea of tattered soldiers brought Gwen and Lily out the doors, Gwen stopped briefly to survey her surroundings. Pirates on fire were screaming and running for their lives. Some were being turned to ash by Aeton. Objects whizzed by at the command of the telekinetics. Water rushed like snakes up around the faces of drowning pirates at the hand of immortals possessing the water ability. Huge bouts of wind crushed enemies against objects resulting in their gruesome death. Suddenly Gwen heard buzzing from above. She looked up to see a black swarm of dark wings.

  “Fairies!” she screamed as she ran for cover behind a large wooden cart full of rocks. Lily and Tiger slid under as well and tucked themselves near the back. Loud booms echoed as Gwen saw bombs of fire exploding before her. The fairies were throwing some sort of energy fireballs.

  Gwen could barely hear Lily shouting over the explosives, “Over there,” she pointed. Gwen followed her finger to a crying girl sitting under what looked like a blue-bubbled dome. She was around twenty feet away tucked behind a large pile of dirty laundry. Her face was covered in dirt as tears streamed down her face. Timing the bombs perfectly, Gwen made a mad dash to the girl.

  The blue bubble disappeared as Gwen slid in beside her.

  “What’s your ability?” Gwen shouted. Instead of answering, the girl returned the bubble, this time over herself and Gwen. It was quieter inside as if they were two fish watching the outside world from inside the safety of their fish bowl.

  “What is this?” Gwen asked.

  “A shield,” the girl sobbed. “I’ve never used it before and I can’t keep it up long. I ran away from my mantican and I can’t find-” She broke down bawling again.

  Gwen’s heart skipped a beat. She figured the girl never had a chance to use it before she was captured. Inexperience could have proved fatal to the girl, but to Gwen it may have been just what she needed to save her life. Gwen placed a hand up to the girl who shuttered at the sight of it.

  “Trust me,” Gwen said softly and the girl nodded apprehensively. The moment Gwen touched the frightened girl she could feel the energy enter her open mind. When she had filled the hole, she stopped and removed her hand. She was made for the shield. The energy flowed so smoothly. Gw
en held out her palm commanding the shield to form above her. It started as a small bubble but as Gwen felt surer of herself, it expanded. She stood as the dome rose. With her free hand, she motioned to Lilly and Tiger to join her. Lily pressed her daughter into her body as she darted for the laundry pile. A small hole appeared in the bottom of the shield as Lily and Tiger slid through.

  “We’ve got to…run,” Gwen said through clenched teeth. Gwen began moving the shield as they ran. Lily pushed the distraught girl ahead as fireballs bounced off the shield like a trampoline.

  “Just up ahead is the door. That one to the left,” Lily shouted. Gwen saw it about thirty feet away. A large steel door.

  “Mama, I’m scared,” Tiger squeaked as Lily hushed her. Gwen could relate. Fear rushed through her veins like ice chunks in a fast flowing river, despite the shield. Suddenly, a pirate appeared in front of them. He was large and bloody. Refusing to stop Gwen kept running, leading the shield right into him. Electricity flew as the pirate convulsed and slumped to the ground. The shield was electrified from the outside. Amazing, though Gwen could feel herself weakening from the bout of energy she expended. The door. They had reached it. Gwen reluctantly lowered the shield and held her hand out to open the steel barrier but stopped. She heard ferocious growls and roars from inside the fence. Andrew.

  Andrew, what’s going on in there? Is everything ok? We’re at the door.

  Gwen waited impatiently.

  “Gwen behind us. Look they’re coming!” Lily pointed to a group of six pirates running full speed at them. Put up the shield!”

  Gwen wanted to obey, but knew she wouldn’t be able to open the door if need be. Finally. I’m here. Back up he said.

  Gwen braced herself as iron claws dug through the metal yanking the door off its hinges. It was a blood bath. Pirates’ entrails were strewn everywhere. Manticans had completely obliterated the immediate guard pirates and left them in messy piles. Andrew was intimidating in his mantican form, his thick chest swollen with pure muscle. With a single swipe of his massive paw, her protector swiftly moved the girls out of the way and gorily ripped the approaching pirates to shreds. His blood stained brown fur glistened now soaked with blood.

  “Andrew, watch out!” Gwen screamed as a ball of fire came whizzing through the air. Instinctively Gwen closed her eyes and held out her hand feeling the shield forming over a crouching Andrew. The burning ball bounced back into the air as he made his way to the girls.

  Maticans poured out of the now open door to reunite with their immortal and fight like they were born to fight, as one. The pirates were no match for their prisoners. Soon the final shriek came from the last guard pirate in sight. Panting manticans and weary immortals stood in short lived victory.

  Immortals mounted their unsaddled protectors as they ran past the Mantican’s work fields as they had so many times alone. They reached the short spot in the fence and began climbing over disappearing into the dark forest.

  The plan is to scale the fence in hopes of joining the rebels in the rebellion. Andrew’s voice appeared in Gwen’s head as they stood face to face.

  You don’t sound sure. Gwen said quickly.

  They’re stronger than you think. See the fairies circling the forest? Gwen looked overhead and nodded.

  Don’t be fooled, Jamison, a plan.

  “What are we doing?” Lily demanded looking over her shoulder. “We can’t stand here,” she said adjusting Tiger onto her other hip.

  What do you think we should do? Gwen silently asked, touching her mark and watching hoards of sworn ones scale the fence to make their escape.

  Just then, Gwen felt thunder beneath her feet she looked to Andrew who already began throwing her onto his huge back.

  Three red eyed mangy looking manticans rounded the corner, running at full speed. They were huge, bigger than Andrew for sure. Gwen could feel her strength fading as she attempted to put up the shield.

  “I can’t hold it for long!” Gwen screamed.

  Andrew threw the shield girl on next as Lily handed a trembling Tiger to Gwen.

  Andrew reached for Lily who pulled herself away. What was she doing?

  “Lily, come on!” Gwen yelled, staring at the approaching manticans. Suddenly, Lily’s eyes began to change and her mouth turned into more of a snarl.

  No! Andrew yelled inside Gwen’s mind. Gwen stop her don’t let her do it.

  Gwen was horrified as she watched Lily begin to snap and crack as she screamed out in pain. Before her eyes, Lily had changed into her primitive form. She had become a mantican.

  Andrew, what’s happening? Gwen thought.

  She was huge, close to Andrews’s size but darker in color. With one last glance at Tiger, she crouched down and ran head on into the approaching enemies, who swarmed her like a rabbit in the middle of a wolf pack.

  With a loud growl, Andrew made his way over the fence, moving faster than Gwen had ever seen before. He flew through the forest, like a hawk soared above the trees, not missing a step.

  Andrew we can’t leave her go back! “Go back!” Gwen went between shouting at Andrew in her mind and out.

  We can’t. She’s dead. Even if they don’t kill her she’s dead! He said lowering his snout to his chest.

  What the hell are you talking about! Gwen screamed, tears running down her face, she held on to Tiger even tighter now.

  She used her one change. Every mantican gets a change, sworn or not…they die afterward. There’s no coming back. Fuck! He yelled as he pushed harder, running even faster.

  She died? She sacrificed herself? Lily wasn’t coming back. Gwen could feel hot tears searing her eyelids. She never even got a chance to thank her. Tiger, oh god, Tiger. How would she tell Tiger her mother wasn’t coming with them. That she died in that hell. What would Pete say? Anxiety took over her. Gwen could save her. Yes, she could save her.

  Andrew I’ll bring her back. I’ll bring her back. Get me to somewhere safe and-

  Andrew interrupted, You can’t.

  Yes I can. I can do it Andrew I did do it with Samuel and Etu and-

  You can’t bring back a mantican who uses their change. They killed themselves Gwen. There’s no on left to bring them back. He panted. We’re almost there, but get ready. I’m sure they’re not far behind.

  Her heart sank. Lily was gone for good. Gwen could feel the little immortal hugging her waist slump into her back. The energy drained quickly from Gwen’s body.

  Andrew, wait! Gwen thought. Reaching out a hand to keep the girl from sliding off.

  I can’t stop, hold her. The rebels are right ahead. He was right. Gwen saw them. An army standing in formation, preparing for battle. They parted as Andrew ran through and skidded to a stop. The immortals that made it were sitting in a group most covered in blood. Their manticans still in their animal forms sitting guard beside them.

  “Adeline, take her,” Gwen said horrified as she handed Tiger off.

  Sliding quickly down, she pulled the lifeless girl from Andrew’s back. Her eyes were closed and she wasn’t breathing. Gwen felt for a pulse on the girl’s loose neck. Nothing. She was dead.

  “Damnit!” Gwen yelled. As she ran her fingers through her Auburn waves. Andrew grabbed her by the back of the cocktail dress with his teeth, sliding her away from the still warm corpse.

  “My mantican said her sworn one, Briella, was searching for her…she must have waited too long looking for her...the fairies got him,” Adeline said softly, holding a now sobbing Tiger.

  “Gwen,” she heard a familiar voice behind her. Pete. He was fully armored and ran to her. Taking her dirty face in his gloved hands he pressed his forehead to hers. She wanted to melt. Cry. Stay safe in his arms. His smell. His messy brown hair. His green eyes welled with tears. The same eyes that lied to her. That sent her to hell. She stood lifeless in his arms, as the refugees watched with adoring eyes. A show. She’d put on a show. No use for more panic…right now. He was going into battle.

  “Jonah and Mike?” she
whispered, her lip quivering.

  “Safe at the cabin with Art. He stayed in middle earth with them. My god Gwen I’m so glad you’re ok,” he whispered. “I did all I could to come for you,” he lied.

  Gwen smiled back softly. “I’m sure you did, but I’m here now. We’re together,” how she wished she spoke the truth. “I. I met someone Pete. Lily…and your daughter.” Pete searched the crowd.

  “Gwen I wanted to tell you, please believe me I wanted to tell you but it wasn’t the time. I wasn’t even sure she…they were still alive.” He stopped. “Is that her?”

  Gwen nodded. “And Lily? Where is she?” Pete asked anxiously.

  Real tears fell down Gwen’s cheek. “She didn’t make it.” With a nod Pete made his way to his daughter.

  He studied the girl in Adeline’s arms. “Hello,” he whispered, stroking her black hair tenderly. Gwen’s heart ached. She brought her hand to chest and watched as Pete met his daughter for the first time.

  “Who. Who are you?” Tiger said through sobs.

  “I. I’m…Pete,” he settled on, staring in amazement at the tanned little girl. How could he have sent her? Gwen thought. It was clear his love for his daughter was true, but…his love for her? Was it true as well?

  “They’re here!” a woman’s voice shouted. Pete looked torn. With one last glance at his daughter, he ran back to Tokala and Koli. “I’ll be back Gwen,” he said “I promise.”

  The first wave took off to meet the approaching dark manticans. The ones that killed Lily.

  Did I hear that correctly Gwendylon? Please tell me I didn’t. His velvet voice appeared in her head full of rage.

  Hear what? Realizing her hand was placed against her mark. Damn.

  He sent you…us? To our probable deaths?

  I…yes. I was going to tell you after all of this. She could feel the tears begin to flow once more. He sent us for Tiger. Gwen said. Andrew grabbed her carefully by the back of the dress once

  more and pulled her aside, dragging her further into the forest, until they were away from the group. In the solace of Andrews fur covered chest, Gwen broke down. She pushed her faced into his coarse coat and bawled gut wrenching tears. She threw her arms around his neck as he stood unmoving. Her rock.