Only a Glow

by Nichelle Rae

  Their attention quickly turned from Ortheldo to the woods. They wasted many of their precious arrows shooting blindly at the trees trying to kill me, but I had already moved to a lower branch of a neighboring tree.

  Thwip! Two more arrows plunged into two Gibirs’ throats.

  I began to feel comfortable with my bow and even smiled to myself. I hadn’t lost all my skill after all. Again, the monsters shot blindly at tree branches, but I had already jumped to the ground.

  This feeling was incredible! The thrill of battle had never flowed through my veins before, and feeling it now was intoxicating, especially being as highly trained as I was. I loaded two more arrows and launched them with the expertise I remembered I had.

  Thwip! Two more Gibirs dead.

  Before letting myself be seen, I fit two more arrows onto the string and drew it back. As I walked out onto the field, the bow seemed to mold in my hand and felt unimaginably comfortable in my grip. I was in total control. This was one thing I had power over. It wasn’t a helpless situation like the rest of my life seemed to be. I had the power in my hands right now, and that feeling was overpowering me.

  “Ah,” Ortheldo sighed, rubbing his palms together briskly when he saw me approach. “This should make things a bit more fun, don’t you think?”

  “Oh, I plan on enjoying myself thoroughly,” I replied, not shifting my eyes from the Gibirs. And I would, too. Too long had I been a victim of circumstances out of my control! Too long had I felt that my life was hopeless! No more! This was in my control now. The lives of these creatures were in my hands, and those lives were about to be snatched away by my power, by my skill as a fighter, a warrior.

  “Me, too,” Ortheldo said in a low voice as his bloodthirsty glare mirrored my feelings. I wondered if this lust to kill came with every highly-trained warrior.

  In an instant Ortheldo drew two blades from his back and tore through the nearest Gibirs with his skilled hands. I released my two arrows, killing two more Gibirs, then dropped my brows and pummeled into the battle bare handed.

  The feeling of being in battle was indescribable! I hoped every battle I fought would feel this way, or maybe this feeling was only because it was my first. Just the thrill and reality of having your life on the line every instant couldn’t hold a candle to sitting and doing nothing like I did for so long in The Pitt. Each close call I managed to ward off with my unique fighting style before I broke a neck or two, or knocked a few teeth out. I couldn’t believe I still remembered the techniques!

  But very soon my muscles started aching and burning because I hadn’t used them in such a way for so long. However, instead of recoiling from the burn, I welcomed it! It felt so good to use my muscles like this again. In fact, the feeling of using my father’s hand-to-hand combat style was more empowering than brandishing a weapon. To have your body actually take the lives of something, not just a metal extension of your hand, was unlike anything else. I lost myself in this fighting style that had made my father so powerful, the fighting style where you didn’t need weapons to kill, just yourself. My body became my sword.

  When a Gibir approached, I spun around, bringing my leg up and the heel of my boot smashed into the Gibirs’ soft temple. He fell dead. Spinning again, I brought my elbow back and smashed in the sharp front teeth of another enemy knocking them out. After that, my right arm swept up under its chin, curling around its neck, and I pulled it back, snapping the bone in half. I did the same things with four other Gibirs that dared come close enough. Spin, punch, block, kick, snap! The Gibirs had no chance. None!

  My muscles relentlessly screamed in agony until I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I’d been idle too long. I had to rebuild the strength I once had. I pulled my Salynn blade from the hilt on my thigh then began hacking through the Gibirs with it. The lovely metal of my knife was soon spoiled with black blood. Nonetheless, the number of living Gibirs diminished.

  When I had the chance to glance away, I watched Ortheldo. I noticed that we were both animals on the battlefield. Never had I seen him in battle! Watching him fight was just as exciting as being in battle myself. It was a side of him I’d never seen. The animal like expression on his face, his teeth barred, and his periwinkle eyes on fire—he looked beyond amazing! I could have sat by and watched him fight the battle by himself and enjoyed every moment.

  As I took out another Gibir, I was suddenly attacked from behind! Before realizing it, I was down on my hands and knees with the weight of a body on my back. I reached for my sword, but one punch to the side of my face put the world in an explosion of colors. Two more hits to my rib cage knocked the air from my lungs. The hits came harder as I tried to gather my senses.

  With a quick thought, I pushed my weight up onto my toes and palms, using all my strength, I spun around and landed hard on my back with the Gibir under me. It remained undaunted and slammed its fist into the side of my face again. I slammed my elbow backward into its face, loosening its grip on me, then I managed to twist my body around so I could look down at it. I planted a hard right hook into its slimy jaw, but then a jab square into my mouth sent me flying onto my back in the grass. The Gibir was instantly on top of me, blade drawn at my throat.

  I didn’t know what was wrong with me all the sudden! I just had to be rusty from being idle for so long. My muscles screamed in pain as if confirming that was indeed the problem.

  With all my strength, I held the knife at bay. Both my hands were occupied so I couldn’t reach for my sword or even use my Salynn knife. Slowly, though my arms trembled with the effort to stop it, the knife inched toward my neck.

  Suddenly the Gibir was yanked off me! I took in a deep breath and scrambled to my feet, expecting to see Ortheldo dealing with it, but it was Rabryn!

  I sucked in a deep gasp. What was he doing?!

  I wanted to scream at him for being so stupid! But as I watched him intently, he slashed his sword, and though he was less skilled than he was with a bow, he cleanly sliced off the head of the Gibir that had pinned me down. My eyes widened. Though he’d never even seen any type of battle, forget ever being in one, he was a pro! It was as if he was born to do it! A ripple of pride went through me because I’d taught him everything he knew about weapons and how to use them.

  I almost smiled at the thought, but then I realized that there was still four Gibirs not being managed. Ortheldo fought two, and Rabryn had one more. Before I could gather my wits and get into the battle again, a creature beyond my reach loaded its bow…and its arrow was aimed directly at my brother.

  I gasped and ran toward Rabryn. I just had to pull him down and he’d be safe! I just had to get him to the ground! My mind was racing, but everything moved so slowly! Time seemed to stop altogether.

  My brother might die!

  No! He couldn’t!

  My brain told me I was running as fast as I could, though I wasn’t sure if my legs were working at all.

  I just had to reach him! Run, you fool! Run faster! my mind screamed.

  But as black blood spluttered from the neck of Rabryn’s attacker, the arrow launched. I heard the twang of the bowstring just as my brother turned around to make sure I was okay.

  I couldn’t get to him.

  With a sickening thunk, the arrow buried deep into Rabryn’s left side. He screamed in agony and his body went flying backward to the ground. His scream was the most terrifying thing I had ever heard. Grief, as fast as lightening, raced through my mind. I let it go with a scream that thundered through the clearing. “NO!!!!!”

  The image of the arrow impaling his body repeated in my mind over and over in slow motion. It tortured me until I fell to my knees at my brother’s side. Panic surged through me, numbing me from any reasoning. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

  My brother couldn’t be dead! It wasn’t possible! How could I live?! No! Not my brother. Not my brother! Please not my brother! My vision blackened with the horrid reality. I needed a light, some ray of hope to go on living in this very moment.r />
  “Never…been…shot before.”

  I sucked in air as my world came back to me. It was bright and colorful and Rabryn was alive! My mind was finally able to function and focus. He was alive! My vision came back and I saw Rabryn’s face twisted in anguish, his hand resting around the arrow wound. He hadn’t been killed on contact! He was still with me! I could save him!

  As my mind began to work, I knew Ortheldo was trying to manage the remaining Gibirs and needed me. I leaned over my brother and firmly cupped his face in my hands. “Don't you dare go anywhere, even into death, without me,” I warned him, giving him a dangerous look.

  Suddenly his eyes shifted passed me and got wide. “Behind you!”

  I turned around just in time to see the glare of a blade swinging at my neck. My powerful reflexes allowed me to duck my head in time to avoid it. Then my instincts kicked into play, and right away I did a backward somersault to avoid a downward blow from a second Gibir. By the time I found my footing, Ortheldo was dragging one of them away.

  I stood and glanced down at Rabryn. My beloved little brother was on the ground, bleeding. My teeth clenched and utter rage corrupted me. I felt it boil into every pore, every inch of my body and soul. Every fiber that made me a living, breathing human was heated with the sensation.

  My years of training and the memory of my father flashed before me. War was my territory! Battle was my playground! This was my flesh and blood being threatened. No harm done to my brother, physically or emotionally, would be tolerated.

  I didn’t realize I was holding the hilt of my sword until I felt heat pulsating from it. The heat reminding me of the powerful magic I possessed. Though the pulsating heat taunted me and teased me to do so, I would not use my hateful magic. My hate for it overcame the temptation. Even if I wanted to use my magic, there was no need. All I needed were the tools that my father had already given me. By the Gods of Light, this Gibir would not see the blue sky of another day! The Gibir stared at me, seeming slightly daunted by the look in my eyes.

  I clenched my teeth harder, baring them like a wolf on the hunt, and pulled my sword free. The creature blocked my initial blow, but I raised my Salynn blade so fast I barely saw my own arm move. I brought it down onto its forearm, cutting off half the limb. Black blood sprayed my clothes and face, and the Gibir screamed in anguish and fell to its knees. I glared down at it, completely lost in the memories of my father and my brother. I crossed my sword and Salynn blade at its neck. With a scream, I pulled them apart and the Gibirs’ head popped off like a dandelion blossom.

  I scanned the field to make sure nothing was moving. When nothing did, I quickly put away my weapons and fell to my knees at my brother’s side again. He looked bad. He’d already gone pale and he was struggling to breathe.

  “Hold on, baby. Hold on.” My body trembled with fear. I couldn’t lose him! I wasn’t sure why, but I felt angry. Ortheldo kneeled at Rabryn’s other side and I lost it. I slammed my fist as hard as I could into Ortheldo’s jaw. He went flying backwards with blood spewing from his lip.

  “This is your fault!” I screamed as loud as my voice could go. “You had to fight the Gibirs, didn’t you? You couldn’t just walk away, could you?! Damn you!” I shook from the effort of screaming the last two words. This was the second time in two days I’d hurt Ortheldo badly.

  No! This was different. Last night was my fault. This was his!

  “Azrel…Azrel,” my brother wheezed from the ground. “I joined the fight on my own. Please don’t be…angry with him. It’s my…own fault.”

  I was shaking with rage and fear. That was so like him, taking the responsibility of his own actions. He’d never let an innocent man take the fall. His words cooled my temper a bit. I glared at Ortheldo as he picked himself up off the ground, his head down as he wiped the blood from his chin.

  I deliberately clenched my teeth for a moment so I wouldn’t scream again. “Help me save my brother’s life and I’ll find it easier to forgive you.” He looked up at me a moment, then ran toward Urylia. He threw himself over her back and galloped away at full speed. I looked down at my brother again as he looked up at me with glossy eyes. “Where…is he going?” Rabryn asked.

  My eyes welled up. “He’ll be back. But I have to leave you for a while, too.”

  “Wh ...why?”

  “I have to go find a plant that will help you.” His brows dropped in what seemed like confusion. “You just lie here.” I took off my cloak, covered him, and put his sword in his hand. “Just in case. I’ll be back soon.”

  I kissed his forehead then ran toward the trees faster than an eagle could have flown it. I was soon standing at the edge of the shadowy woods looking around for Roogle Root. It wasn’t easy to see, and my eyes were filling with tears. I forced them back, knowing it would only make my search more difficult. My heart was racing. Every moment meant my brother’s life.

  When I found a mixed patch of plants, I was on my knees sifting through them to find the right leaves. I thought I’d found them for a moment and pulled the plant up. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake!” I cried and threw the bundle against a tree trunk. It was Roogle’s twin, Rouge Root.

  Roogle had dark blue veins running through the leaves; Rouge’s veins were black. The Rouge plant also gave off a very unpleasant smell when uprooted. Roogle, however, gave off a soothing, sweet smell. It was the only way to tell the difference when searching in less light.

  A few agonizing moments later, I found more mixed leaves on another patch of earth. At last I pulled up some Roogle Root and ran back toward my brother. Ortheldo was already kneeling by his side his head bowed. My brother’s eyes were closed!

  No! No! He couldn’t be dead! “Rabryn! Rabryn!” I screamed and ran even faster.

  “He’s okay. He’s okay, Azrel.” Ortheldo comforted me as I fell to my knees at his side. “He’s just weak.”

  Rabryn tried to open his eyes and look up at me. “Azrel,” he said.

  I briefly smiled, then set right to work ripping the leaves off the Roogle Root and piling them on the ground. I glanced at the three bowls and the cloth Ortheldo had already pulled out of our packs. “Where’s the water?” I asked, not taking my eyes off my work.

  He set a glass jar in front of my knees. “Right here.” I nodded and continued tearing the leaves off the stem.

  When I finished plucking the Roogle leaves, I noticed Ortheldo squirming a little uncomfortably on the other side of Rabryn. I could tell he wanted to say something but was afraid of provoking my anger again. Finally, he spoke. “Azrel, in order for the Roogle Root to work the water has to be warm. Forgive me, but he might not make it through the time it takes to build a fire and heat the water.”

  I ignored him as I poured an even amount of water into each bowl. What did he take me for? We both had learned about healing plants from the same man. How insulting that he thought he knew more than me!

  I took up two of the bowls, holding one in each palm, and began to whisper a spell I’d learned a long time ago from Beldorn. Fire came up from my palms and instantly steam rose from the water. Ortheldo looked at me, surprised for a moment, then cleared his throat and pretended not to be impressed.

  I put the Roogle leaves into one of the bowls of warm water and began mixing it with a blunt rock. Soon I had a bowl full of dark green paste. I set it down, leaned over my brother, and caressed his clammy cheek. Again, my eyes filled with tears, knowing that what I had to do next was going to cause him excruciating pain.

  “Rabryn,” I squeaked. His half-closed eyes shifted to look up at me, and my tears finally fell onto his face. “Rabryn, I…I have to…” I cleared my throat. “I’m going to heal you, but I have to…” My eyes squeezed shut for a moment, then I looked at him again. “I have to pull out the arrow first.”

  He looked anxious for a moment, then he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. “Just do it quick,” he whispered hoarsely.

  I swallowed back my tears, then took hold of the arrow’s shaft. Suddenly, O
rtheldo’s hand was on top of mine and he looked deep into my eyes. “We have to pull out the arrow first.”

  I swallowed heavy and nodded. “One…two…three!”

  We both began to pull. Rabryn’s jaw dropped in a silent scream as we pulled. The arrow started to come out but painfully slow. It was barbed! They shot barbed arrows at my brother! I put more muscle into it to get this done as quickly as I could. But it wouldn’t do anything to ease the pain.

  When the arrow finally dislodged, Rabryn’s scream ripped through the sky and tore my soul to shreds. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay! I know it hurts,” I squeaked. “The arrow is out now. You’re going to be fine.” Rabryn squeezed his eyes shut and turned his face away so I wouldn’t see him crying.

  I immediately began to clean the wound now gushing blood. Before he could bleed to death, I scooped out a heaping handful of the Roogle paste and put it over the hole. The blood flow stopped immediately. I spread the paste around his skin to protect it, using every bit until I was scraping it out of the bottom of the bowl.

  Rabryn fell asleep—a side effect of Roogle Root. I crawled to the top of his head and picked it up, resting it on my knees. I rinsed off the cloth in the cold water and placed it on his head to reduce the temporary fever he would get. Another side effect of Roogle.

  An awkward silence fell, and I looked at Ortheldo. He was on one knee, looking down shamefully, completely unable to meet my eyes. With a sigh, I reach for the bowl of paste and scraped out what I could. “Come here.”

  He looked up at me, and without question leaned in toward me. I put the tiny bit of Roogle Root that I could get out of the bowl onto the cut in his lip that I’d caused. I dabbed it on, then sighed as I sat back. “I’m sorry I hit you. It wasn’t your fault. He joined in on his own.”

  “Thank you,” he said softly.