Kindles of War

by Nicol Terra

  Erudite nodded. “I believe so.”

  “Well, after that is our day off, right?” Robin said.

  She smiled. “Yes, we get two days off. What do you have in mind?”

  Robin fluttered his wings, his finger to his lip. “Well. How about a party those days?”

  “Both days?” Erudite asked. Evelyn giggled.

  “Didn’t know you like to party.” She said. Erudite scoffed.

  “I am like most faeries, a simple one that likes to get high or drunk.” She said. Robin bellowed a laugh. Erudite just didn’t let her habit control her like most people in the world. The world was a dark and twisted place, and drugs were the opiates for the common person; especially the common Faerie.

  “Well, touche. I guess we can wait till then.” He said.

  “Fine by me, text me on the Holosphere what you wanna do.” Erudite pulled out her Holosphere, pushing the top button as Robin and Evelyn followed, both had a Blue Holosphere.

  As soon as Erudite turned in her work, she couldn’t help but wonder.

  What dueling Tina would be like again. She let out a confident smirk.

  “I guess I will find out soon.”

  Rachel and Illevetar hiked up the frozen mountain range. The mountain range practically split the island in half, it was just over five kilometers long. Wild wings slashed through the mountain side, dropping heavy snowfall that was enough to push the two of them back occasionally with a gust. Rachel hid her face from the snow, trying to keep her face warm. Inside her sack, she had detailed notes of her the mountainside. The winter despite not being bent was cold enough it could freeze anyone stupid enough to stay in place for long. lIllevetar following close behind her as she waddled along. Permanent snow, the wind snapping against she face shrouded the mountains. Rachel felt pushed back slightly by the cold, sound piercing winds as she let out a small curse.

  The frozen mountain and wind were enough to bring anyone to their knees. While the mountain's spell was still present, it had no ill effects other than the frostbite, the freezing of bone and Rachel was pretty sure she didn't have a left hand anymore. The frozen snow knee deep, the wild wind splicing wail of nature made Rachel's red-tinted ears turn crimson. She only had one pair of clothes too, and her book bag was strapped on her shoulder. She wanted to write down in her journal, but she did not have the time to do so.

  “Jesus how long until we get to the city?” Illevetar asked. Rachel shrugged. She looked at the highest peak as she continued up the mountain peak. Her shivering bones only matched by her shock throughout her spine. She continued to slush through snow, each footstep becoming harder and harder than the last. She took a bite of a nutrient bar as she pressed on.

  “Can we look for a cave? It is getting dark soon.” Rachel asked. Illevetar raised her thumb up, barely visible in the blizzard. Rachel let out a torrent of electricity that traveled throughout the mountain and then put her hands in the snow. Her crystal gave a blue shine as a small stream of water escaped her fingers. She felt a small ‘hollow’ area just nearby, the electricity and water darting around it, just a few thousand feet from them. It wasn't as good as sensing location via Blue Aura, but it was a good compromise. Rachels always wished to have learned how to use Aura, but she settled on making her ability work a specific way. Electricity travels quickly, and it can give her a mental image of the landscape in her brain depending on where the bolts of electricity travel. She raised her hand as they walked straight throwing the shivering blizzard. A screech of a dragon echoed the mountains as the two pressed on. Rachel looked up in the sky to see a dragon darting to the left from them, heading across the mountains across from them. She sighed, a minor annoyance to her.

  She saw a small cave that greeted them, not much larger than a room. Rachel slinked herself quickly inside, as the blizzard white being visible outside to illuminate the dusty ground. The two-edged inside. Rachel started to shiver; The cave was scentless, but tens of bare branches laid in wait for them; along with a skeleton that the more Illevetar looked at it, the more her face turned white. Illevetar gathered some of the branches and sparked a fire as she sat down, shivering. Rachel looked the sparking flames on the searing wood, the fire dancing around like a turned ghastly. She released a small torrent of electricity, sparking her warm for a brief moment, Illevetar jolting upward at the sudden charge. Rachel rolled her eyes.

  “For an elven Forward, you sure are a lightweight with nature.” Rachel said bluntly, Illevetar flipped her off.

  “Love ya too, Rachel. I only knew you for a few days, I already know you are a professional asshole.” Illevetar groaned. Rachel blinked twice, caught off guard for a few moments. She sighed and gave a soft smile. Illevetar raised a brow. “Am I wrong?”

  Rachel giggled. “Guilty as charged. What do you have to gain from this?”

  Illevetar said nothing for a few moments, shuffling her legs together, her arms wrapped around them as she hid her away from her legs. Rachel poked her once. Illevetar looked up, Rachel only shot her a glare.

  “I was just…tired of being a pampered princess. Alexia told me before she died that I need to see the world.” Rachel sighed

  Rachel tweaked her head. “See the world?”

  “You are from Kragg, right? Where did you grow up?” Illevetar asked. Rachel backed away, leaning against the wall as she stared at the fire- offended but not willing to press on her for ignoring her question.

  “I grew up in Orem.” She uttered.

  “Any family?” Illevetar inquired. Rachel thought for a moment as she hid her face behind her legs for a moment.

  Rachel shook her head twice. “My dad died when I turned fourteen two years ago, I became a forward a year ago. I do have family back home though, sort of don't talk to them.” She said. She always did live by her own rules. She kept her name, but as far as she was concerned, she didn't need their money.

  “Ora, right?” She asked. Rachel nodded with Illevetar quietly staring into the fire.

  “How Old Are You?” Illevetar asked.

  “Sixteen.” Rachel answered.

  “Damn, I am twenty.” Illevetar and Rachel laughed together.

  “You are old, and you don’t know how to fight that well.” Rachel said bluntly.

  “I am a princess, not a fighter.” She retorted. Rachel pondered for a second, wondering what it means to be a princess first and a fighter second.

  “Aren’t princesses supposed to be fighters?” Rachel asked.

  Illevetar took a pause for a moment. “No, I don’t see what you mean.” She squeaked.

  “Well, without a strong leader, who can lead them through the dark times?” Rachel asked, tilting her head on her legs. “Not strong in a political sense, but in a combat sense.”

  “No, I am not strong. I stayed mostly inside Mysen for all my life.” Illevetar admitted. “Been to every city I could, I always could only wave though. I was just there to look pretty.” Her tone inflected at the end as Rachel smirked.

  “I see, I get that. I avoid the whole going to cities though.” She said. Illevetar popped her head up.

  “Did you visit every city part of the Kragg Empire?” Illevetar asked.

  “No.”Rachel said.

  “Why not?” Illevetar raised a brow.

  Rachel said nothing. She held her crystal in her hand, rubbing it a few times. The soft, yet rigid structure comforting her fingertips. She looked at the yellow crystal, the blue and yellow spots wrapping around the crystal like a snake. She always knew the answer, she just didn’t like to think about.

  “I just wanna see the greater world. What is out there in this beautiful, large world?” Rachel asked.

  “I don’t know.” Illevetar admitted.

  “So thats why I am here. I am in for the ride.” Rachel said. Illevetar looked at the fire and nodded.

  “I feel that,” Illevetar said. Rachel only sighed.

  “Do you have any goal out here?” Rachel asked.

  “I am not sure..”Illeve
tar said. Her tone was inquisitive as the two shared a moment of pause.

  “Not sure?” Rachel asked.

  “I kinda regret leaving, I fucking hate the cold” Illevetar giggled. Rachel smiled and giggled.

  “Same. I hate this place, maybe I should turn around right now.” Rachel said. “Hey Daniel, everyone is safe! The island is great by the way!” Rachel lied as the two shared a laugh. The two stared the fire momentarily as they laid across from eachother. Rachel always looked at her ears, her pointed ears had a tendecy to twitch randomly.

  “So cute.” She whispered. Illevetar raised her head.

  “Huh, did you say something?” She asked. Rachel blushed and shook her head.

  “Didn’t say anything.” Rachel said. Illevetar shot her a glare.

  “Bullshit, I am across from you.” She said. Rachel scratched the side of her head.

  “Royals tend to not be as selfless as you.” Rachel changed the topic. Illevetar winced her a glare as she let out a small sigh and shook her head.

  “I guess.” Illevetar laughed. “I do have one selfish desire though.” She said.

  Rachel blinked. “What?”

  Illevetar pointed outside as Rachel swung around across the dirt. Illevetar was pointing at the moons, barely visible thanks to the blizzard.

  “Nika? Dulsa? Nieth? There are eight moons you can go see.’ Rachel asked.

  “Nika. It is supposed to be a place of legend. The place of the Dragons. My mother taught me this."

  “History I never heard of? Nah.” Rachel dismissed it. Illevetar laughed.

  “Do you like history?” Illevetar asked.

  “No.”Rachel said as she got up from the fire to stretch. “Not really.”

  “They say history can repeat itself, Although the knowledge of my history was limited to Siphor.” Illevetar said grimly. Rachel nodded.

  “I can agree with that first part.” Rachel said.

  “Well, what history does that have?” Illevetar pointed. Rachel smiled and shook her head. She didn't care to answer such a question, and in her mind it was ridiculous. She, however, didn't say a word out of politeness.

  “I don’t know.” Rachel said. Apparently the theme between the two that tied them together was curiosity.

  “Isn’t that why we all chose this path? They say fate flows with the person, and that person can choose their final destination. I want to go there. I will go there. I will go there, discover what it means to be free.” Illevetar said. Rachel turned to her as Illevetar eyes and gaze intensified, something that she never expected too see. Rachel let out a smile.

  “I can approve, I guess.” She said.

  Then a sudden twig broke under someone's footstep as the sound echoed across the cave. Rachel looked at the opening of the cave. Illevetar grabbed her sword in her right hand, ready to strike. Rachel released a torrent of electricity beneath the ground, feeling two shadows a few dozen feet heading towards them. She readied her knife and coated it with electricity, waiting for them to get a few feet closer. Then, she then pounced and sliced at a man, a large one as he tumbled backward. He wore a black coat and had crimson eyes, a jet black coat. Rachel then darted to the side, dodging an ax aimed from behind her. She then bolted to the other man’s direction and knocked him up ten feet in the air before kicking him with a torrent of electricity

  “Flash of the West is not hyperbole; it seems.” He said Rachel blitzed the two as Illevetar looked in amazement. The man then disappeared and reappeared behind Rachel, as he punched her once with a red aura. Rachel’s crystal started to emit random bursts of electricity.

  “How?” She asked. She tried to command her crystal to release electricity at her enemy, only for it to shoot wildly. The sparks of electricity shot around the mountainside, carving thousands of feet deep inside. She bit her lip, this man did something to her crystal. The man mocking gaze hidden by the black hood of his jacket made her more irritated. She started to release a flurry of electric blasts that pelted the man, only for the man to ‘absorb’ most of it with a yellow shield. She jumped backward and flew up into the air. She felt her entire body become electricity as she shot down in a millisecond from a thousand feet, tackling him, only for the shield to absorb the impact completely. She felt her head become dizzy, only seeing a red image that covered half her vision.

  “Rachel! Aura beats Crystals. He is going to shatter your crystal!” Illevetar said.

  “Too late.” The man bolted and smashed through her crystal, as she was sent flying back. Rachel got up and twirled her dagger around.

  “Crystal users like you are arrogant.” The man said, then a burst of flames appeared before him, engulfing the mountainside and melting the snow instantly. He rushed forward, Rachel turned around as she saw Illevetar bursting with fire. He darted immediately in the opposite direction at the elf, shooting a ball of flames at him. The man then released a blast of red energy, only for the energy to be entirely engulfed by flames. The heat was so hot that it melted the snow into water creating a boiling wave that took the two away down the mountainside, creating a small river that knocked them down and aside. Before he can be swept away, he shot a blast of red energy that shot through Rachel’s body. Pain, Rachel felt her vision blur and blacken. Rachel coughed a bit of blood, as she stumbled backward. Her body was ringing, her head felt heavy. She grabbed her stomach as she fell to the ground. She felt it, a hole inside her. At the last second, she became Electricity, but he nullified her ability. She looked to feel Mookaite unresponsive to her commands. Illevetar ran to her side.

  “Hey! Stay with me!” Illevetar said, but Rachel couldn’t quite hear her. Rachel collapsed, passed out from the physical trauma.

  Duran, Ariel, and D.J were on their way, flying high on an airsail. The wind was cold, the cold desert below of Sosrow was a small continent, over ten square kilometers in size. It was largely abandoned, many old ruins and villages still are said to hide deep inside the desert. It also had a distinct black mist that covered over most of the continent. The blackened fog sucked all life from the continent, leaving it either a dead desert or a dying fossilized forest. The forest siphoned everything from the land itself, leaving only the foulest of Demons or other monsters. Untouched, the Airsail flew at the continent, only a hundred kilometers away.

  D.J, Ariel and Duran were playing a game of Timesink, Ariel hiding away a smile under her cards, Duran let a soft grin while D.J had a calm, collected exterior.

  “Call,” Duran said.

  Ariel slammed her cards on the table. “Three Fires, a Water and Earth.”

  Duran cocked a smile. “Well fuck, I have Three Water’s, earth and a night.” He said. Ariel sat back in her chair as she pouted. D.J nodded and wagged a finger at the two.

  “Can you beat Four Airs, and a night?” D.J said, laying out his cards on the table. Ariel and Duran turned to him, picking up the cards.

  “I hate you,” Duran said coldly, D.J laughed.

  “Aww, don’t be like that man! I only got lucky!” D.J said. Duran turned to look behind D.J, and he lost his T.V, a Holosphere, and three magic tomes. He then turned to Ariel and Himself, what did they win? A cake and even that might be a lie. D.J held back a laugh as Duran looked at him and sighed.

  “You need to make money off this.” Duran turned to D.J. D.J, who started to shuffle the cards together, quickly snapping their spines and cards in quick succession.

  “Yeah, the number of bets we lost compared to you is saddening,” Ariel added.

  “I might join a tournament. I heard playing your cards right, you are fated to win against even fate.” D.J said. Duran sighed and shook his head. Ariel shot him a glare.

  “Fated to win against fate? Can you reword that as if you weren’t a wisened monk? You just beat us in cards is all.” Ariel puffed her cheeks. Duran sighed.

  “They say fate is tied to light, and those that ‘lose’ their fate don’t have a guiding light in their life,” Duran added. Ariel shook her head.

 
“Such wisdom,” Ariel added. D.J then shot Ariel a glare.

  “That is exact-”

  “D.J.” Duran said, touching him the shoulder. D.J took the hint and dropped the topic.

  A voice echoed throughout the airship.

  “Land Detected, Expected Dock Time: 30 Minutes.” The computer spoke.

  Ariel and D.J turned to each other and nodded.

  “One last game, this time with poker?” D.J asked. Ariel nodded. Duran shrugged, better than Timesink, he was losing too much stuff.

  Ariel pulled out a deck of cards, shuffling them in place and crackling the cold cards together. The sound echoed from the deck as if the snapping card spines splintered sound.

  "So, tell me about this place," D.J asked. Duran turned to him and blinked, caught off guard by the question.

  "Well." Duran started. "Sosrow is technically a free continent. There are little resources to justify sending officers to it."

  "Well, other than the myth that a Portal leads to Nieth?" Ariel said, snapping the cards together.

  "Yes." He said. Duran thought about it for a moment as he leaned on his right fist. He let out a small, carefree sigh. D.J rolled his eyes together as he let out a small gleeful coo.

  "Must be nice to be one of the few see this continent!" D.J said.

  "Well," Duran started. "I mean, still a desolate place to, as far as I know, has no one living on the surface."

  "The surface?" Ariel frowned. "You are telling me."

  "Yes, we are going underground to the city of Argatha," Duran said.

  D.J yelled in excitement as Ariel drooped her head down to the table. Her eyes turned narrow and his face white.

  "Oh god damn it. I hate spiders." Ariel said.

  "Come on, it will be great!" D.J said.

  "I mean, we at least have tents and sleeping bags. Oh, I brought money!" Duran added.

  "Yeah, like that will help," Ariel said.

  She dealt five cards to herself, then Duran, then D.J. Duran pulled his cards up, raising his brow.

  “Great, I don‘t got shit.” He said to himself, looking at his hand of a five, a three, a two, a nine and an eight, each the heart suite, except the two and three; they were spades. He could try to get a straight, he only needed a four and either a six or an ace. He shrugged, sliding the nine and eight to the center of the table as she turned to D.J. D.J had a devilish grin drawn on his face. He turned to Ariel, her face white as she gulped.