Dutybound

by Mark Aaron Alvarez

  “Look at you all high and mighty,” the guard wearily spoke, clasping his injured hand. “The Carist tribe has always prevailed. We reign supreme. We always have.” The guard’s voice remained as cruel as before, despite Leo’s aggression.

  “Not for long. Now tell me. Lucia, the girl you imprisoned, where is she?”

  The guards all looked at each other, releasing a look of shame and then submission as if speaking with their expressions. As Leo loomed over them, dagger in hand, the guards knew they had no choice but to listen. The guard with the shattered visor nodded, tearing it from his face. “I’ll take you to her.”

  Leo nodded in satisfaction, finally free from the rage that had consumed his spirit. He helped the guard up to his feet. The others wore looks of disgust as they lay there bleeding, beaten and defeated.

  “You two will stay here, or I’ll be piercing more than a cheek next time. Tell me—don’t you wish you had your visor now?” Leo sneered, pointing his dagger between the eyes of the visorless guard. He distrusted them after all they had done to him, his mind fractured and seemingly split in two. He tried to ignore his rage and focus on Lucia, following her voice as it rang in his head. He had to find her before she lost her light once and for all. Leo pushed the guard forward, not hesitating to bring his dagger into menacing visibility. The guard shuddered as they abandoned the other two and retreated back into the prison.

  It was not long before they had reached the far end of the passage, not too far from where Leo had originally been held. His heart beat faster as the guard fumbled to pull a chain of keys from his waist. They trembled within his grip. “Hurry up,” Leo spat, nudging the tip of his blade into the guard’s back. The guard sneered at him with a low growl. His eyes were foul with hatred. Slowly, the keys slid into the hole, turned, and clicked in the rust of the lock. Leo’s spirit leapt from his body as he heard the latch of the lock break free from the door. He pulled it open, releasing a quick breeze of air.

  “Lucia!”

  ***

  The call of her name from Leo was magnetic, pulling her up the wall and bringing her senses into full awareness as she smelled the aroma of decay around her. The Light Wings pulsed vibrantly, aligning with her sudden emotions. In that moment, it was like she forgot where she was, like time itself completely stopped. It was as if the reality of the prison slipped away, only to leave raw emotion in its place. Her fears dissolved, and she found her strength again. Somehow she felt no danger and, instead, as her mind returned to her, she leaped forward into the warmth of Leo’s embrace. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

  Leo held her as her body trembled.

  “What happened?” she cried.

  In that instant, the guard tore away and dashed back into the corridor ahead of them. He ran as if his life depended on it. Leo knew better than to trust him, but he was not disappointed. He had what he was after—what he needed to put his mind at ease—and that was all that mattered. All would be well in the end; or, perhaps it would not be. But either way, she was with him. With a deep breath and all his strength, he froze this moment into his mind, binding it into an abyss of secrets he would keep for himself away from the world, so that maybe, one day, he would get to feel this once more.

  Slowly, with struggle, he pulled away from her. “We have to get out of here. The Carists believe we’re responsible for destroying their tower,” he whispered. “And they know about my father too. They think I murdered him.”

  Lucia cringed, nonresistant to the tremble that quaked through her. She brought up her hand and brushed it against Leo’s cheek, feeling the blood wet on her fingers. She saw the pain in Leo’s eyes as he tightened them above his bruised, bleeding nose. “They hurt you.”

  “You should see the other guys,” Leo boasted. “They were going to hurt you too if I hadn’t fought them off.”

  Lucia put a hand to her lips, staying silent but still looking deep into the oceans on his face. She could not explain it—that moment—like a haze, a fog of emotion she could not quite define. She had her doubts and fears, as well as her hopes and dreams. To her, those were clear now, but what she felt in this very moment was something unlike anything she had ever experienced. Despite his cool exterior, when it came to protecting her Leo was impulsive and reckless. It was as if he lost a part of himself—or gave it up all for the sake of making sure she was safe. He was devoted and selfless, willing to risk his own life for hers. Since they’d met, she watched his temperament change. His willingness to fight became stronger, and harder for him to control. And with that, something inside told her to resist.

  “Lucia, we have to get you somewhere safe,” Leo said. “There has to be a way to the surface. We can’t stay down here when it comes. We’ll be crushed.”

  Lucia’s eyes narrowed, her sadness apparent. She shook her head. “Leo, listen. I don’t want you to fight anymore. You have to save yourself.”

  Leo gave her a wild look, the same as always, just as confused. “Save myself?” Did she know what he just went through? What he did to save her? How could she be saying this?

  Lucia shook her head again as her heart began to crack like lightning stretching across a bitter sky. “If I’m destined to win, I will. That is reason enough to save yourself. You can lead me up to the surface, but why not go back home, for your sake? You’ve already lost so much because of me. Who am I if I let you keep fighting? It’s changing you.”

  Leo’s lips quivered as he tried to speak. “Look, Lucia. What I did back there, I did for you. You wouldn’t be out of that cell if I hadn’t fought them off.” Leo was desperate to explain. But a piece of him knew she was right. It was all a blur to him, but he was violent, vicious—brutal even. He’d lost himself in the heat of the moment and Lucia knew that without having witnessed it. Shame was plainly written across his face. “They were going to hurt you, Lucia.” He sobbed as he nearly broke down.

  Lucia let one tear slide, but shifted her head as if to hide it. “They wouldn’t have been able to. You should know that. The Light Wings are with me. These men are not the enemy here.” She tried hard not to cry, but she was in no way as good at containing her emotions as Leo was; or, at the very least, used to be. She held her breath before saying, “Your pride and passion are going to get you killed. At least in Pinea, you’ll have a better reason to fight. You don’t need to die for me.” She clenched her fist as she fought back her own words. Why am I doing this? “You have a duty to yourself and to your homeland, but not to me. Fight for your people. They should be your priority.” Lucia then pointed to the small pendant at her neck. “And this is mine.”

  Leo’s cheeks flushed under his pale skin. “You can’t be serious, Lucia.” He took both her hands in his. “There is no home to go back to. The land’s polluted and my people are dying. Out here, with you, I have a fighting chance. Don’t you see? Following you, protecting you, that’s my duty. That’s my promise. I vowed. I can’t turn back now.”

  She pulled away, pushed past him and turned sharply to face him. “But . . . you’re losing yourself. You’ve forgotten where you’ve come from and who you’re supposed to be.” She placed a hand over her heart and felt a shock she did not expect. It seemed to leave her heart turned and tightened. “Leo, I can’t—” She stopped herself as she peered into his sapphire blue eyes. “I can’t be responsible for that. I just can’t. Not if something happens to you. It doesn’t matter if you end up alive or dead, you’ll never be the same.” Lucia bowed her head. “I’ll never be the same.”

  There was a lull, a haunting silence. The tension was intoxicating, thick and strong, and concentrated like sharp acid.

  “Fine,” Leo said reluctantly, resting his hand on the hilt of his dagger. “I won’t waste your time.” He walked a good distance ahead of her before turning. “I’ll lead you out, but from there”—he swallowed hard, holding back the tears in his own eyes—“we’ll just see what happens.” />
  Lucia’s eyes swelled as they widened. She nodded. She could not believe at all what she had done, but she did not need to risk him losing anything more. All he had now was his life, after losing his family and his home. He needed to focus on finding that place again, a place to call his own, something to believe in. He did not need to lose whatever was left of himself. Not because of her. Not because of the Light Wings.

  Lucia clenched the Light Wings, taking in a breath as her gaze darted ahead of her. She followed after Leo, quickening her step before reaching him. She grimaced in thought. If only Stello had left more for her, something other than a prophecy and a pendant—he could have left her something more, and better instruction.

  Leo stopped suddenly, analyzing the corridor the best he could without looking back, without even casting the slightest glance toward Lucia. He did not want to see her. With every stare, he could not help but admire her. But right now, he did not want to admire her—he was angry about what she had said. He would follow her request, as much as it pained him. He would only lead her to the surface, and then leave her. It was what she wanted. But what would he do without her? How could he leave her to accomplish this task alone?

  She was right about one thing. He would never be the same. He was changing, for better or for worse. He could not help but feel ashamed of what he done during his escape against the guards. Without Lucia, he was senseless. And he didn’t know why. All he knew was that he wanted to stay by her side more than anything. There had to be a way to show her that he needed to.

  “Are you okay?” Lucia asked as Leo broke his trance.

  He looked again to the walls and saw the blood stains in the dirt below his boots. “The guards,” he said. “They’re gone. They might have gone to inform Talon of our escape. It won’t be long before they come for us.”

  Lucia drowned another spike of panic with a deep breath. The pendant pulsed slowly like a struggling heartbeat. The lights flickered above her, bringing her stomach into a twist with the duration of silence. She was not thinking fast enough. Something within her told her she didn’t have much time. “Let’s hurry.”

  Leo nodded in response, still hesitating to look back to her. Swiftly, they moved along the corridor, hearing nothing more than the sound of waves crashing over them. The world shivered as if it were afraid, releasing a light whimper into the air, jiggling it. The door out of the holding cells emerged from the shadows in the distance, while a small ring of light glowed around the pendant like a halo. The light reflected off the door as they approached it. Gently, Leo reached forward and pulled the handle, cracking the door free from the stone wall.

  Lucia bit her lip with impatience but still stood warily behind Leo. The sense of impending danger only grew. She said, “Remember what I told you.”

  Leo bowed his head. “Is that even possible?”

  Lucia didn’t respond. Truthfully, she was not at all sure. She was very much afraid of what lay ahead and she didn’t have all the answers she needed; but the Light Wings had saved her more than once. Even when she failed, the light redeemed her. She had to do what felt right, what felt fair. She had to let Leo serve his own duty while she served hers. He did not deserve this.

  Leo did not wait for a reply. Instead, he passed through the door and moved up the steps, following them up the spiral stone staircase. Only by instinct did he glance behind him with his bright blue eyes to catch a glimpse of the girl following behind him.

  She walked up, sad and beautiful, keeping her head lowered gracefully to the side. She brushed her gentle fingers along the stone, sensing it as the shadows watched them quiver. She was afraid.

  Leo whispered to himself, deciding then. “I could never let you go.”

  Chapter Twelve:

  The Trial of the Carists

  “Father!” Luzanna yelled out in anger as she burst through two finely cut doors of cypress. Her eyes were burning with an intense glare, piercing through the haze of her own sad thoughts. She entered the vast arena, taking in the essence of the light as it fell onto her mask absorbing into the dove-white exterior and imbuing it with an intense vision, filled with hope. This was the training ground where she had worked all her life. For years, she held true to the philosophy of her tribe, honing her skills as a scholar and a warrior. To be strong in both body and mind was the highest honor of the Carists, the keepers of knowledge and guardians of secrets. Within this circular room, Luzanna knew in her heart that she would have no choice but to face her father, despite all she feared. In this room she would face the final test of her youth.

  The light was unusually gray, dim beneath a drizzle of rain. Behind the glass of a gigantic dome, flashes of purple lightning crawled across the fabric of the darkening clouds. Luzanna’s heartbeat deepened as the thunder roared. She paced across the marble floors, looking toward the large archway. She clenched her fists over the shaft of her polearm as her palms became slick with sweat. She held the spear high, weary of every step, as if she knew something terrible was coming on the horizon.

  Atop a stone throne was Talon, armored in gold. The phoenix, seemingly powerful and wildly deranged, stared at his daughter. He rested his head in his hand as he lost himself within the chambers of his mind, as if consumed by something. Was it the darkness, his fear, or his own sin? Whatever it was, it was restless. Perhaps, it was a memory of a not-so-distant past.

  Luzanna stepped into the fragmented light of the dome. The platinum of her armor radiated as the lightning flashed overhead. Her magenta ribbon seemed to tighten in her golden hair as Talon struggled to his feet, standing as proudly as any man of power would, except Luzanna could sense the darkness’ hold on him. She tried not to exhibit the slightest ounce of weakness, though she was very much afraid. Still, her fear did not overshadow her conviction. She knew of all she hoped and fought for.

  “You’ve come before me, my daughter, holding arms against your father? Do my eyes deceive me?”

  Luzanna shook her head. “Father, you won’t listen to me. What other choice do I have?” She pointed the tip of her spear forward. “You’re not going to break the world’s natural order. You’re not going to kill her! She’s the only one capable of destroying the darkness.”

  Talon stepped down from the throne, keeping a distance. He gave a half smile before pulling a short sword from his side. It was forged of gold-gilded steel, glistening a dark yellow, and was nearly as bright as the flames of his armor. Like the phoenix feather, bladed to the tip, it blazed. “You are so strong, Luzanna, but still you are naive to think you know what nature has intended for us. It is as it should be.” He lowered his sword and turned from her, leaving her confused.

  “As it should be?” Luzanna’s hope drew anger from the pit of her chest. “Don’t play with my head!” She ran forward, pointing the tip of her spear toward her father. Immediately, her tears flooded over her eyelids. They sparkled with sorrow, fueled by her despair. Shocked at her own actions, she pulled the spear away and fell to her knees as anger overtook her body. Luzanna had failed to see the lengths her faith had taken her—to the point she would have fought or even killed her own father. But she could not. She was not as heartless as the darkness wanted her to be, but she still had the urge to fight raging within her. She cried out, “Why don’t you just kill me then? If you kill her, if you destroy the pendant, you’re going to condemn me to a fate far worse than your sword could ever bring. I’d rather die rebelling against you than watch the world die for your mistake!”

  Talon turned to her as she curled up on the floor. His face softened, free of tension and full of sympathy. “You hold firm to this belief, because such hope lies in your heart—a hope I cannot see, a hope I envy. I envy your ambition, the heart to die for a dream that might not be. Your youth, your vigor; the very life I had a part in creating has brought into this world something beautiful. You have the hope this world needs, the hope of a true leader. Something I may never k
now.”

  Luzanna looked up to her father, her anger dissolving, as if something inside understood his words. Her emotions swung as if on a pendulum.

  He continued. “All has happened just as he predicted. The prophecy is coming true. The girl has awoken the ancient spirits with her song, and she is now connected. Luzanna, you don’t understand because you have not yet seen it. You have not yet seen the realm of the protectors.”

  “Father, you don’t mean . . . ” Luzanna said quietly, still on her knees, “Remena.”

  “It is your birthright to someday hold these secrets, just as I have. But never did I think you would have to face this, not this young. Stello once told me of what you would be destined for, of the greatness you would someday achieve, but he also told me of all the suffering you would endure because of it.” Talon choked. “All without me by your side. I cast him away not because I feared death, Luzanna, but because I feared leaving you to face this darkness on your own. However, it is too late. My time has already come.”

  “Father, what do you mean? You must tell me.”

  “The girl has opened the door, one that was perhaps unlocked long ago but never fully pushed open. Like her mother, she holds a very special gift, one that connects her to their world.” Talon sighed, taking a moment to remember his old friend. “Ara once sealed the darkness into place, but Lucia has done the opposite. She has given it a way in, and they are using her gift against her, all because the covenant is broken.”

  “The covenant? Father, I’m confused.”

  Talon smiled. “It’s because you have to go for yourself and discover the truth. The darkness will not be sealed away again that easily. It is stronger now than it ever was before, fueled by the sins of those it devours. I thought that if I severed the connection, it might be forced away. But Stello, he knew her faith would not yet be strong enough to keep the sins at bay. Luzanna, please forgive me for not realizing this sooner. I deeply regret my actions and want nothing more than to see you fulfill the prophecy Stello has left. You must go and restore virtue to the world.”