by K. Lew
Chapter 16: A Glimmer of Hope
A white light shone faintly in the dark corridor. Kelan followed the lightkeeper who was escorting him to a small room. Every now and then, Kelan could hear the screams of agony and torment in the distance. Then they entered a small, empty room with a glass wall in front of them. The young lightkeeper spoke. “Lightbearer, do you see that white button by the glass wall. When you press it once, the prisoner behind the glass wall can hear and speak to you. The prisoner won’t be able to see through the glass wall. He will only see a reflection of himself. When you are done, I will be outside waiting for you.”
Kelan replied. “Thank you. What is your name?”
The lightkeeper spoke. “My mam named me Bi---” Then Billus closed his mouth before speaking with great reluctance. “My name is Oakpac.”
Kelan spoke. “Tell me the name your mother gave to you.”
Billus moved his shoulders uncomfortably. Kelan spoke. “I told you my name. It would be impolite of you if you did not do the same.”
Billus shifted his glance at Kelan’s missing right arm. Billus spoke. “My name is Billus. But please call me Oakpac.”
Kelan replied firmly. “I will call you Billus.” Then Kelan saw Billus’s wandering eyes looking down at his missing right arm. Kelan spoke. “They had to amputee my arm after suffering a crushing blow from the attack. Can I confess something to you?”
Billus spoke. “Sure thing.”
Kelan spoke. “When I lost my hand, I lost a part of myself. I’m half the man I used to be.”
Billus spoke encouragingly. “If I may be so bold to say. So what if you’re a cripple. It doesn’t change who you are in the inside. You can’t let that define who you are. If I had a missing arm, I would display it proudly as if it was a badge of honor. And if anyone told me differently, I would slap them with my other hand.”
Kelan laughed before replying. “Thank you for your kind words. Tell me, Billus what motivated you to become a lightkeeper?”
Billus spoke. “I came from a humble beginning. I lived in a farm with my mam with many cows. My own pa left me when I was very young. My mam told me my pa was a mean drunk and physically violent. She told when I was born my pa took one look at me before telling her to throw me out into the sea. My mam, of course, didn’t throw me out. But my mam told me she paid the price with a beating that almost left her dead. That’s why I became a lightkeeper to prove my mam that was I’m worth saving and one day be able to give back to her.”
Kelan replied. “I’m sorry to hear about your hardships.”
Billus spoke. “I know I keep blabbing on about my life story. But I like to share my story to others to show them no matter how bad things can get for them others have had it worse. That’s why I always try to keep a positive outlook on life.”
Kelan spoke. “Thank you.”
Billus scratched his head, dumbfounded. Billus asked. “Thank me for what?”
Kelan answered. “For reminding me of what I have forgotten.”
Billus spoke bashfully. “Aw. It was nothing.”
Kelan asked. “What do you think about everything that happened these past days?”
Billus replied. “Surreal. I mean the death of the Chemlam, the arrest of the Chemlady, and a surprise attack on the city happening all in one week...I mean its sounds like things you would read in stories, not in real life...”
Kelan interrupted Billus. “Billus, wait outside while I speak to the prisoner.”
Billus nodded and bowed his head before leaving the room. Kelan walked over to the glass wall and pressed the white button. The white button activated a powerful light that shined down on Sere. As soon as the white light shined down on Sere, Sere cried. “No more. Please. I beg you.” Kelan sat down onto the chair. Kelan watched as Sere cried out in distress through the glass wall. His feet were chained down on the gray, dirty floor. Kelan spoke. “Sere, its me, Kelan. I’m sorry, Sere. I really am.” Sere looked out at the glass wall, his eyes moving around. “Sere, I know my promise at this moment in time will hold no real meaning to you. But I need you not to lose hope. I will get you out, I swear to all of the Lights Gods, I will get you out.”
Then Kelan heard a weak voice. “Kel, I won’t be able to live another day here.”
Kelan spoke. “You have to be strong.”
Sere replied weakly. “You don’t understand. For twenty-three hours, I am in complete darkness in a small cell. I’m allowed one hour to use the bathroom or walk around. Then they have goddamn water pipe that leaks down here. I can hear every damn drop of water. It is torture and I’m losing my mind in here. You have to get me out of here now.”
Kelan spoke. “Listen to me. There is not much I can tell you, but I need you to stay strong for you. Be ready when I come back. Keep your body fit and your mind sharp. I’ll be back soon.”
Sere asked. “Kel, I don’t know if I can. They are not going to give me a fair trial. They are going to execute me soon. What if they execute while you’re out fighting the Strongblood? Maybe I should bargain with them for a lighter sentence.”
Kelan spoke. “Don’t. You have to trust me. I’ll make sure Melody and the Grandmaster keep the Council stalling about the date of your execution until I come back.”
Sere asked. “You will come back for me, won’t you Kel?”
Kelan replied simple. “I swear to all of the Light Gods, I will come back.”
Sere asked. “You have a plan, Kel?”
Kelan replied. “Please take care of yourself, Sere while I’m gone. Be strong, Sere.”
Kelan waited for a response, but Sere fell silent. Kelan stood up and white light switched off. Kelan slowly walked out the room. Billus was waiting for him outside the door.
Kelan spoke. “Billus, let’s go.” Billus turned his flashlight on and lead the way out of the dark corridor with Kelan. As they walked out of the dark corridor, Billus spoke up. “I heard you’re going to bring Lord Strongblood back to justice. Can I say, it would be an honor, if you would take me along? You will need good men and I am very loyal.”
Kelan replied. “Loyalty gets you killed, end of story. I will take you, but you must keep your wit with you at all times. Can you do that for me?”
Billus shouted excitedly. “Yes! I will! You just watch me.” After Billus bowed his head, he walked side by side with Kelan. He reminds me of myself. He is young, restless, and headstrong. But if he wants to survive the war, he will need to grow up fast. War can quickly change boys into either men or monsters. As Billus opened the door walked outside. Kelan followed Billus out. Kelan looked out. The warm breeze blew under the clear sky and the sun brought the bright sunlight out. Kelan and Billus walked towards the white wall.
Kelan spoke to Billus. “So you don’t mind missing the Chemlam ceremony?”
Billus spoke. “Are you kidding me? That’s all for show. I want to be in the frontline where all the action is at.”
Kelan smiled. Boys will be boys. In a boy’s mind, fighting is much more interesting than ceremonies. When Kelan and Billus arrived to the white wall, a large army of guards in white chainmail with steel broadswords hanging on their belt greeted them. When the guards saw Kelan walking towards him, cheers began to break out. Kelan smiled and yelled loud and clear. “What may be weak is strong. What may be strong is weak.” Whistles broke free through the army. Then Kelan heard a galloping of a horse coming from behind him. Kelan turned around and saw Reno riding on a white stallion, slowing down to Kelan. Kelan smiled at Reno. Kelan spoke. “Reno, my friend. How are you? You look like you patched up well.”
Reno got off his white stallion and replied. “The world around me seems to moving faster than usual. But though rest and training, I will get back to my former self. Thank you for your concern. I came here at the behalf of the new Chemlam. The Chemlam could not be here, but he commanded me to give you his orders.”
Kelan spoke. “How many men are coming with me?”
Reno replied. “Five hun
dred.” Reno looked at Kelan’s missing right arm. Reno spoke again. “I’m sorry about your arm.”
Kelan spoke. “There is nothing to be sorry about. If anything, it only reminds me how fragile our lives are as humans and we must treasure every moment of our life.”
Reno spoke. “Spoken like a true leader. I must be quite frank with, I do not believe we should go to war. It will only drain our precious resources and lead to many casualties.”
Kelan spoke. “I agree with you. But the Council made their decision and we must respect their command and carry it out.”
Reno spoke. “Do you think it would be fine if I talk to you in privacy?”
Kelan replied. “Yes, it is fine.” Kelan turned to Billus and spoke. “Billus, can you prepare the men for the journey?”
Billus turned red and answered. “Me? But I’m not qualified.”
Kelan spoke. “Yes. You’re.” Kelan spoke loudly to crowd of guards in white chainmail. “I’m Kelan and I’m the lightbearer of the City of Lights. From today until we accomplish our assignment, I will be your commander. I will tell you two things about life under my command. First my orders are absolute. There is no compromise. But I will tell you this, I will never order you to do things that are against the law and I will never order you to into danger if I can prevent it. Second this young man standing next to me is my lieutenant. You will address him as Billus. He will be like another set of my eyes. If you have problems, disputes, or concerns of any kind, you go to him. Understood?”
A guard in the second row pushed his way through to the frontline. He was bald with a full black mustache. He yelled. “No way in hell am I taking orders from a kid. I’ve been through many wars and back. I’ve have put half of my life in the service with two past Chemlams. Where is my promotion? How does a boy who should be hiding under his mother’s skirt get to order me around? I’m fed up with this injustice.”
Reno watched, waiting for Kelan’s response. Reno waved off the two guards who were about to take the insolent guard, the two guards stopped at their tracks. Kelan spoke. “You are right.” Reno gave Kelan an astonished look.
Kelan gave the man a dark stare. Kelan spoke quietly. “What gives a boy the right to lead you, you say? I will tell you. I choose him and found him more than capable of leading us to war.” The guard walked up to Kelan. The guard spoke. “Yeah. So what? I still don’t like that a cripple and a boy is leading me to battle?” A deadly silence settled in the crowd as every eye was watching Kelan. The guard was close enough to Kelan that he could smell the strong alcohol under his breath. Kelan was about to speak, when Reno moved to intercept the drunken guard. Kelan waved Reno away. Kelan turned to the drunken guard. Kelan spoke. “You are not fit to wear the guard armor. From today till your last day, you will never wield a sword again. When you die, you will be buried an unmarked grave as a pauper. Now take your armor off and leave before I send you down to the dungeons.” The drunken guard was speechless as realization of what he done dawned on him. He took his chainmail off and threw it onto the ground in front of Kelan. Then he threw down his broadsword. He walked off, revealing a pink undershirt with a red heart in the middle. Laughter broke out and a few jeers were yelled out, aimed at the drunken man.
Reno spoke. “Kelan, can I talk to you for a moment in private?” As Kelan and Reno walked away from earshot, Kelan could hear Billus giving out orders at the guards to prepare themselves for the journey ahead of them. Reno looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. Reno whispered into Kelan’s right ear. “Kelan, I know for a fact that Versia plans to send you to your death. I heard from my own ears, Versia talking to his close advisors that by sending you to war with the Strongblood he will be killing two birds with one stone.”
Kelan nodded and spoke. “I already know.”
Reno whispered. “I can find you a safe haven where you can lay low.”
Kelan replied. “I can’t, Reno. It is not about my life anymore, the city and people need me. But I have favor to ask of you. While I’m gone, can you help convince the other people on the Council to stall the date of Sere’s execution?”
Reno spoke. “I will do my best.”
Kelan frowned and spoke. “Be safe, my friend.”
Reno replied. “You too.”
Kelan spoke. “I have a plan in mind. I can’t tell you about it yet. But if my plan is successful, Versia’s reign as Chemlam will be a short one.”
Reno whispered. “I will pretend I did not hear that. It is treason what you speak of. Just do your part and I will do mine’s here in the city. And please keep that boy you have with you safe. It’s getting harder to find reliable lightkeepers.”
Kelan nodded.
Reno spoke loudly. “Good luck. Light Gods protect you all.” Reno held out his hand. Kelan shook hands. After moments passed, Kelan turned around and walked back to his army.
Billus watched the two men walk their separate ways. Billus had a white stallion ready for Kelan. Kelan got up onto the white stallion with the help of Billus. Kelan scanned the epic sight behind him. Five hundred guards in white chainmail riding on white stallions held their steel broadswords up to the sky and chanted. “What may be weak is strong! What may be strong is weak!” Kelan turned to Billus who was riding next to him on a gray stallion and smiled. Kelan then kicked his stallion and rode out of the White Wall. Riding through the high winds, Kelan could hear the sound of many horses galloping behind him. Light Gods protect us all. Maybe after I sort this all out, I will get to see her again.
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