by Kealohilani
Drakne watched Lani carefully and with great interest. He had never seen a girl quite like her before. The excitement she was deriving from exploring this wretched cave was highly visible, even now, after having lost more hope, just last night, when Arante had failed to intercede successfully with Jharate. And after having a vision of her brother struggling on a planet she had no hope of ever reaching again. Yet, she continued in a way most people couldn’t act when they had everything they ever wanted.
How did she become so strong? She hadn’t grown up here— and from what he knew of Earth, it wasn’t a hard place to live in. How did she become so tough, whilst remaining so sensitive? Who is she?
Assuming she was the Half-Heart he sought— Vranah said she had been born in this world. That only made her more intriguing. He found himself deeply curious concerning her mysterious past. Perhaps the key to defeating her now, lay in knowing who she once was.
As he pondered all of this, they rounded a bend in the cave and he noticed that torchlight definitely suited Lani. Her skin luminesced and her braided long hair glimmered like copper.
Drakne wondered if any part of Jharate knew what he was giving up.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Drakne thought. I hope it’s killing him— torturing him slowly into madness. What a perfect ending that will make once I’m done with the two of them.
Lani stopped suddenly. Drakne had to flatten himself against the cave wall so that Raoul would not smash him into Lani. Raoul quickly raised the torch high in the air, so as not to burn her. She turned and looked straight at Drakne. He held his breath and did not move a muscle.
“What is it?” Raoul asked.
Lani did not answer. Raoul followed her line of sight and saw only the cave wall. Lani stared more intently and slowly stretched her hand forward— as if she were entranced or bewitched to do so. It reminded Raoul of Aurora in Sleeping Beauty when she was reaching for the spindle. For a brief moment, Raoul wondered if he should stop her.
Drakne felt an inner surge of panic. He had nowhere to run and her hand was mere inches from his chest.
He wasn’t sure exactly what it was he feared, should she discover him. It wasn’t personal danger. They were no match for him. And even if he couldn’t kill her yet— he was also fairly certain that the reverse was also true. Furthermore, all the others would be easy to dispatch.
But his game hadn’t truly started. It was too soon! And her hand was only centimeters away now!
“Raoul, we need to keep our pace,” Jharate said.
Jharate’s voice— and the fact that he had so blatantly overlooked her and had chosen, instead, to speak to Raoul— broke Lani’s concentration.
One millimeter away from Drakne’s chest— she withdrew her hand abruptly as though she’d been caught reaching for something she shouldn’t have. Lani blinked and regarded the wall with confusion.
Why had she stopped to look at a section of the cave wall that was so obviously devoid of anything out of the ordinary? Why did it feel so— Lani caught a glimpse of Jharate and saw a most impatient look on his face.
She felt a clinch in her stomach. He was staring over her— looking only at Raoul— as if he could see straight through her. Again, as if she did not exist.
“Is everything okay, Lani?” Arante asked.
At the sound of Arante’s voice Lani looked back at the spot where Drakne stood, frozen— trying to see or feel whatever it was she had felt.
But now she felt nothing and all she saw was an empty wall. A tidal wave of embarrassment swept over her— making her wish she truly was as invisible as Jharate was making her feel.
“Nothing I guess… I just thought— Never mind.”
Lani resumed walking rather abruptly, to catch up. Drakne breathed a muted sigh of relief— but had to act quickly to jump back into the line and maintain his place behind her.
That was close— far too close. She shouldn’t have been able to feel anything with as much heartbreak as she was experiencing. Another minute and his game would have been forced to come to an abrupt and blood-spattering end.
Drakne found himself quite glad that Jharate had broken her concentration. Hopefully Jharate’s spell-induced idiocy will keep her from sensing me again. He looked derisively at Jharate and reassured himself that he was safe.
Lani acutely felt every last feeling Jharate had meant to convey from the tone he had used with Raoul. It was obvious that he wished to forget her and act as if she had never come into his life. It was also apparent that he was determined to turn any ache he might be feeling into dull apathetic numbness.
She exhaled sharply. A stabbing pain assaulted her heart. But she did not wish to dwell on any of this any longer.
Lani put her shoulders back, stood up straight, inhaled deeply, forced the corners of her lips up slightly, and opened her eyes a little wider. She focused on keeping her footing and enjoying the cave while they continued their long march.
“Okayyy! That’s not comforting!”
Justin’s voice echoed through the tunnel and made everyone snap out of his or her reverie. No one had spoken for hours and it was strange to hear a human voice.
It was almost as though one couldn’t speak in this cave— as if one’s voice had been checked at the entrance. The sudden agitation of the profound tranquility was both disorienting and jarring— a huge rock hurled into a glassy lake.
Lani saw what Justin was referring to immediately. Lying against the cave wall, was a pair of human skeletons. As Lani looked more closely at the skeletons, she thought it was both romantic and sad. The skeletons were embracing one another.
Near their remains was a torch that had burned out centuries ago. Lani guessed that when the torch had gone out, they had simply never been able to find their way out of the blackness, but Justin was thinking something much more horrific had happened to them.
“Ewww!” Kendra recoiled, as she finally saw their bones.
Raoul’s stomach released an unsettling gurgle and he gulped quietly at the sight. Too late to turn back now. He shook his head and averted his eyes— pressing forward with the rest— trying to forget what he had seen.
“How were these caves formed, Arante?”
Lani knew full well that they must be made of lava, but she wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on something other than the eerie pair of skeletons.
“We’re actually walking through lava tubes. This mountain was once an active volcano.”
“Really? That’s fascinating.”
“When we get out of this cave, we will come to a beautiful clear pool fed by a hot spring. It is heated by underground rivers of lava that still flow constantly to this day. We will probably stop there to rest when we reach it. It is a great place for swimming— one of the best in all of Alamea in fact.”
“That sounds amazing!” Lani exclaimed.
Drakne once again noted Lani’s cheerful demeanor. Despite her maturity, her joy was completely genuine and childlike— a pairing of qualities that was completely foreign to him. He wasn’t sure if it was an admirable sign of intentional optimism or simply the bliss of ignorance of the fact that she was in mortal peril and that Jharate would never break free of his spell.
“It is amazing!” Arante promised. “Jharate and I went there once when he was fourteen and I was thirteen. My parents served as the Trisaknen ambassadors to Zenastra— before it fell, of course— and they took us with them on one of their trips. Lanas had already fallen, so this was the only safe route to travel there to avoid meeting up with Vranah’s troops. Remember that, Jharate?”
“Yes, Arante. My memory is perfectly sound, thank you.”
“Debatable,” Arante muttered under her breath, which only Erik heard, before returning to her normal volume. “Anyway— Lani, I think you will love it.”
Arante smiled warmly at her. Lani smiled back. Arante had been extra nice to her lately. Lani thought maybe part of her kindness might stem from a feeling of obligation because Jharate was her co
usin. But— whatever the reason— it was appreciated.
Lani felt a leap of excitement within her as she thought of the unusual place Arante had just described. A good swim was just what she needed!
She loved the water— and only now realized how exhausted she was from all the running and fighting and emotional pain. Oh how she longed for a break. The very idea of it fueled her with the energy she needed to continue— like the sight of a lighthouse across a stormy sea.
Jharate stopped abruptly. This forced everyone behind him to come skidding to a halt as well. Yet again Drakne had to sidestep to avoid being bumped into— but the tunnel was a foot or so wider here, and so he did not need to flatten himself against the wall this time.
The vantage point he gained from this small move to the side allowed Drakne to see what had made Jharate stop. The right side of Drakne’s mouth curled into a malicious smirk. He muttered a few carefully chosen powerful words under his breath.
There was a rippling in the air around everyone’s feet, except for Jharate’s. The ripples quickly vanished into the ground, unseen by the rebels. Drakne’s smirk widened as he relaxed and leaned against the wall— arms folded— waiting to see what Lani would do in this situation.
Jharate stared forward intently. He saw his mother standing directly in front of him with a gentle smile on her fair-skinned face— her long brown curls dancing in the breeze. She beckoned with her hand, bidding him come forward.
He hesitated, but the invitation was irresistible. Was this a vision? He felt his legs move unconsciously— closer and closer— toward the apparition ahead. A glowing thrill of joy swelled within his heart.
“NO! JHARATE! STOP!”
Jharate did not respond to Arante’s cries. Arante struggled harder and harder to move forward. She pulled at her legs with her arms and wrenched her body violently. But her feet remained firmly planted on the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Lani asked, panicked by Arante’s reaction.
“He’s headed straight for a mountain siren! They survive by stealing youth from other beings! It’s how they keep their eternal beauty! They have the greatest power over men, but for some reason I can’t move!”
Lani tried to move her own feet. She, like Arante, struggled against the invisible bonds with everything she had, but couldn’t get her feet to so much as budge.
Lani’s attention shot to the siren. Her heart dropped with an icy plummet as Jharate was drawn forward.
The tall and youthful-but-sickly-looking siren’s fiery red hair was smooth— not a strand out of place.
Supernaturally-sparkly eyes glowed in the same fiery red color— which would normally look ugly to Lani, but somehow looked beautiful in an otherworldly way. Unnaturally white skin— like one who had never seen the sun. Her body— voluptuous. Her face— somewhat thin.
The siren’s extraordinary dress looked as if it were made of silk that had been dipped into a puddle of red stars. Magical glittering sparks flew up from the material as it floated in the gentle breeze.
All of the men were silent— dreamy looks in their eyes. Each quietly tried to move forward, but Drakne’s spell held their feet tightly in place. Their arms swung and their shoulders ebbed and flowed back and forth abnormally as they continued to try to walk.
“Justin?” Kendra asked. “Why can’t we move? Justin! Snap out of it! You’re freaking me out! Justin!”
Justin showed no sign of having heard Kendra. He kept staring at the siren— ineffectively attempting to move forward, just like the rest of the men.
A preternatural chill raced up Lani’s spine as the siren’s song reached her ears. The voice of the temptress resonated with the volume of a chime but penetrated with the power of a cathedral bell.
Lani felt a renewed surge of panic as she watched Jharate continue forward— utterly entranced. She struggled desperately against whatever force held her captive to run to Jharate and stop him. Again, to no avail.
Jharate walked closer, one hypnotic step after another, to reach his angelic mother— as she called to him to come and join her and Keanu and Karahn. He followed, gripped in a trance.
“She’ll kill him!” Arante screamed frantically. “JHARATE! STOP!”
Tears streamed down both Lani’s and Arante’s faces as they struggled to break loose. Jharate hesitated for a moment— feeling more than hearing Arante’s desperation.
The siren raised the volume of her song ever so slightly and the notion passed. He pressed forward until he was directly in front of her— a mere six feet away. Jharate mechanically dropped his torch and knelt before her.
Kendra tried to throw her shield over Jharate— but it wouldn’t even activate. Something was stopping it!
Drakne muttered a few quiet words. The rippling effect reversed from the ground— around Lani’s feet only— and blew away into nothingness in the gentle breeze of the cave.
The moment the ripples dissipated, Lani tripped and fell forward against Erik— briefly grabbing onto him to keep from falling. She quickly regained her balance and gasped in hope as she realized she could move!
Instantly pushing between Erik and Arante— she ran in front of Jharate and put her body between him and the siren. In one quick and fluid motion she drew her sword— holding it at the ready.
“Tsk, tsk. Manners! It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” the siren cooed calmly, in a surreal and unnerving tone that sent frosty shivers through Lani’s body. “Though your bravery is commendable, I would not harm me if I were you.”
“You are not me! Give me one good reason not to run you through!”
“If I come to an untimely end whilst I maintain control over the minds of the men in your party— well— they will be as good as dead. They will never regain possession of their minds unless I release them, consciously. Killing me would make their condition quite permanent.”
“Is that true, Arante?” Lani called back over her shoulder.
“Regrettably,” Arante answered.
The siren smirked at Arante’s confirmation of her explanation and spoke again with her hypnotic voice. “Lying is for the weak, little girl.”
“I still can’t let you kill him…”
“I dearly hope that we have not reached an impasse. That would be unfortunate for all of us. Besides, I only need one life. The rest of you will live.”
“There must be some other way! One that doesn’t involve sacrificing one of our men! Please don’t hurt him!”
Lani dropped her sword, unsure as to what she was doing. The siren looked at her searchingly.
“Why shouldn’t I take him? He is by far the most worthy of your companions. And I need youth or I shall die.”
“I love him.”
“Interesting… There is one other way.”
“Tell me.”
“One year of life willingly given is much stronger than an entire life forcefully taken. It is especially strong when given selflessly. Are you willing to lose a year of your life to save this man?”
“Take it.”
“My, my,” sang the siren, smiling brightly. “Your loyalty is most impressive! Not so much as a moment’s hesitation. Few people are willing to sacrifice even part of their own life to save another… Immense pain is involved. Are you still willing to proceed?”
“Yes.”
“You are so willing to take his place! You do not even know if I am telling you the truth about taking just one year from you or if— in reality— I have just tricked you into sacrificing your entire life.”
“I thought you said lying was for the weak,” Lani shot back, fiercely.
The siren smiled with an eerie gleam in her eyes. “That doesn’t mean I am above the practice.”
“True. You don’t seem to be above much.”
“Ha! You are a remarkable creature.”
“I cannot return the compliment.”
“You still don’t know if you are moments from your death. Why do you not hesitate?”
Lani sighed�
�� first in frustration, and then in resignation. She took a moment to collect herself— feeling the depth of her words rising from her very soul as she answered.
“I don’t need to know if you are telling the truth. There is no reason to hesitate. I would rather die than watch him lose his life when there is something I can do to stop it.”
“You truly love this boy…”
The siren cocked her head to one side. She looked from Lani to Jharate and then back to Lani once more with a quizzical gaze.
“I have never encountered such undaunted loyalty. I have likewise never witnessed a woman so fiercely protective of a man before— and I have been around for centuries!”
Lani didn’t reply. She stood, quietly, awaiting her fate. Only her elevated heartrate gave away the trepidation she was feeling.
“Lani, wait!”
“I don’t have a choice, Kendra.”
“I know… I just…” Kendra couldn’t find the words to express her fears for Lani or her hopes that everything would be alright.
“Thank you,” Arante said with a reverent tone, when it became apparent Kendra had said all she could.
Lani nodded, unable to find words herself. She looked back at the siren and waited. The siren eyed Lani the way a person on Earth would stare if a real-life unicorn walked into their house.
“Take it,” Lani repeated with a firm tone.
“Gratefully… You have full ability to stop this process at any point, should you change your mind. Your life truly must be given freely for it to have power— one year of it that is. Merely tell me to stop and I will cease instantly and your pain will be relieved. However, I will then revert to my original plan and take his life instead.”
“I will not ask you to stop.”
“Very well. Kneel before me.”
Lani did so, directly in front of Jharate. She breathed in deeply to try to calm her racing heart. She exhaled slowly through her mouth and braced herself for whatever was about to come.
“Close your eyes.”
Lani obeyed with a quiet swallow and waited in uncertainty for the promised agony. The siren reached her hand for Lani’s forehead and touched it gently with her fingertips— so gently it could barely even be called a touch.
