by Kealohilani
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Lani pled more than asked.
Jharate looked down from her tearful eyes and shuffled his feet on the ground. He opened his mouth again, but paused before answering her in a carefully measured tone.
“Perhaps you should not love me anymore if it hurts you so greatly. How could you love— with so much fervor— a person who is only neutral towards you?”
Lani gasped sharply. She looked up but avoided his gaze. She trembled. His words had cut through to her very heart, and it felt as if it were open and bleeding.
She exhaled in a muted moan. Her chest and lungs felt tight, as if they were constricting more each second. Her answer fell from her lips unconsciously as she stared just past Jharate and off into the distance at nothing in particular.
“Because, it’s true love, Jharate. I can’t explain it. I think we’re meant to be together… And you did too… before the sanctuary…”
She dared to look up at him as she spoke the last few words of her sentence. Their eyes locked and she held her breath as she waited for his reply.
“You are mistaken.”
Again, his words hit her heart— this time like a shockwave— as he turned his back on her. She stared at him, open-mouthed.
Again?! Had he really just walked away from her again? Seriously? She exhaled in disbelief so strongly that a “Ha!” escaped her lips as she watched him walk away. The back of his head was becoming far too common a sight.
Her tears dried up. Her heart felt like needles had stabbed it numb. She didn’t care if he was under a spell! She couldn’t believe what had just happened!
That strange mixture of anger and disconnect returned to her again. This was all so surreal and messed up that if she wasn’t ninety-nine percent sure she was actually living it— she never would have believed it.
As Jharate disappeared into the nearby forest, Lani closed her eyes tightly and tried to sort through all of Jharate’s actions. Who am I kidding?! There was no way to sort this out.
It was as if someone had handed her a twenty-pound bag of sand— each grain dyed a slightly different shade of blue— and told her to sort the grains out according to color! She felt like telling Jharate to sort this out! She knew that didn’t make any sense but neither did any of this!
Her mind was dizzy and fatigued and sick of dealing with the sadness— and so, instead, she felt it latch on with fierce intensity to the anger that swept through her. The anger felt powerful. She knew that anger was never a good solution— but she wasn’t going to act in anger. So what could be the harm?
Just letting herself feel it was intoxicating. And it sure beat the alternative of feeling hurt, alone, and crushed! She felt the heat of the rage boiling beneath her skin and the rush of something exploding deep inside of her.
Justin’s eyes flew open and he nudged Tierza without looking at her.
“Um… Is it just me or is Lani starting to glow in the dark?”
Tierza’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’ve never seen anything like it!”
“Whatever it is, I don’t think it can be good,” Arante added.
Arante got up from where she was sitting beside Erik and walked slowly toward Lani— keeping a wary distance.
“Lani?”
Lani made no answer. She did not move or give any indication of having heard Arante’s voice. She stood still and remained quiet— her head down, eyes closed.
Arante blinked hard to make sure she wasn’t seeing things— but there was no denying that Lani was indeed glowing. “Lani? Snap out of it!”
Still no reply. Arante took several steps back as Lani luminesced brighter and brighter. The brightness became so intense that Arante shielded her eyes with her hands. Arante squinted to try to see if Lani was even still there. It was as if Lani were a celestial body wrapped in white flames.
Lani’s head snapped up to level, abruptly, and her eyes flew wide open— glowing with the same white fire. In that same instant, Lani’s head and arms flew backward and her back arched slightly— as a shockwave burst forth from her waist in a lightning-fast expanding white ring of fire and force.
Arante closed her eyes and threw her arms defensively in front of her face as she screamed.
Erik had already jumped up in alarm as he saw what was happening to Lani and realized that Arante was the first in the shockwave’s explosive path. He reached for Arante and cried out in fear.
“NO!”
Suddenly, everything stopped. All was frozen— right down to the spectacular lightning bugs in the air. Erik did a double take. No one else was moving. He shook his head in confusion, but did not spend another second trying to figure it out.
He rushed to Arante. The shockwave was only millimeters away from her stomach. He cradled her in his arms and pulled her away and down to the ground. He shielded her with his own body— fearing that whatever had just slowed things down for him would stop working at any second.
No sooner had they hit the ground together than the shockwave whooshed out through the open air in a blinding flash of light. Erik held Arante tightly as the wind from the blast rushed over them.
Everyone else was far enough away that they had time to duck and threw themselves to the ground. The shockwave dissipated unexpectedly and they all looked up with great caution.
Once they were sure they were in the clear, they straightened up and all eyes returned to Lani— without so much as one blink shared between the lot of them.
Lani was still glowing, but not so brightly that it hurt their eyes to look at her anymore. As they stared on with mouths wide open the light slowly dimmed. When the last of the brightness left her body she staggered a little.
“Wha-what just happened?”
Lani put the back of her hand to her head as though trying to keep from fainting as Raoul rushed to her side to steady her.
“I was hoping you could tell me,” Arante exhaled, as she gently nudged Erik off of her and got up to walk over to Lani.
“Wait!” Erik yelled.
Everything froze as before, except for Erik. Interesting. Erik’s eyebrows rose high on his forehead. Was it possible that he was controlling this?
He concentrated with his mind and tried to speed things up a little. Things sped up— but faster than he had intended. Arante was barely an arm’s length away from Lani now. He slowed things down until they stopped again.
“I could definitely get used to this!” Erik shouted, for no one to hear.
Erik looked questioningly at Lani. She was not glowing anymore and Raoul was touching her. Still, just to be safe…
Erik walked over to Arante, picked her up, and moved her back about five yards from where she was. He positioned himself in front of her as a shield. Next, he focused his mind and released his hold on the time around them.
“Whoa! How did you get there, babes?” Arante noticed the distance between her and Lani. “And how did I get here?”
Erik grinned widely.
“I guess I have an ability after all! That’s how I saved you! But to be on the safe side, maybe don’t touch her just yet.”
“Ya think?”
“Sorry.”
Erik concentrated on rewinding time to the moment before Arante had gotten upset with him. Nothing happened. Rats! That would have been useful.
Apparently he only had control over the speed of time, not the ability to travel through it. Oh well. It’s something— and it’s totally awesome!
Arante walked past Erik to Lani— still keeping a safe distance.
“To answer your question, Lani— you were just glowing— like the sun! You were surrounded by white flames and your eyes were white with flames too. What in the fiery depths of the demon underworld was that?”
“I have no idea… I just felt so much… power, I guess. It was thrilling! It was like I could— I don’t know what— it felt like I could do anything!”
Lani was riding a massive adrenaline rush. Whatever it was, she wanted to do it
again. Suddenly, a disconcerting thought crossed her mind.
“I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?”
“No, but very nearly. So nearly that Erik had to discover his gift to save me. Let’s not practice that one again unless you are off somewhere by yourself, shall we?”
“I’m not even sure I did it. I mean— I felt like I had the power and the ability to do anything I wanted to do— but at the same time I didn’t really feel in control of it at all.”
“Another good reason to try and make sure it never happens again.”
“I agree.”
Lani could tell that Arante was unnerved by the fact that Lani had no control over what had just happened. Arante’s eyes were still wary as she regarded Lani. Even Lani felt a little frightened by what she had just felt.
But at the same time it was highly intoxicating! What a rush!
Lani sighed as her mind once again offered the rebuttal. Despite the thrill— she didn’t like being out of control of herself. And she had definitely not been in control. She would never have allowed Arante to be put in harm’s way like that if she had been.
And, the power hadn’t come to her during good emotions… She had been angry— extremely angry. If something that intense came out of anger then perhaps it wasn’t a good thing at all.
Still, it didn’t feel bad either. Maybe the timing was merely a coincidence. Lani shook her head. This was becoming a circular argument with herself and there didn’t seem to be any answer possible with the limited facts she had at her disposal.
Lani jumped. A noise echoed from the tunnel. She held her breath as she and everyone else drew their weapons and waited. It was so quiet that Lani was certain that they would have been able to hear a pin drop— even on the grass.
“I surrender,” declared a familiar voice from the shadows.
A commanding figure walked toward them, with his hands up— but each footstep became less sure than the last.
“YOU!” Arante raged. “You’ve got some nerve showing up here!”
“Is there any room for mercy?” Rezarahn asked, with a debonair smile and a gleam in his eyes.
Traitor
Lani felt dizzy— the kind of dizzy that one feels after sustaining a blow to the head. She had barely begun to figure out what had just happened to her with the flaming power— and now Rezarahn was here. Lovely. Being forced to process the whole new set of emotions attached to him only added to the swirling sensation that was tantamount to vertigo.
She reminded herself to breathe and worked hard to make sure she didn’t lock her knees. The last thing she needed right now was to faint. She sheathed her sword at her side— wanting one less thing to worry about balancing.
Besides, there were enough weapons currently pointing at Rezarahn to take care of any trouble that might arise. Oddly, she was still eighty-percent sure that he wouldn’t hurt her even if he got the chance.
She closed her eyes to try to get the world to stop shaking. But it didn’t really work. She opened them again and stared at Rezarahn, despite the wobbliness she felt.
Betrayal stung her heart and welled up in her stomach. But for some unfounded and inexplicable reason she felt her soul wanting— even yearning— to trust him again. She massaged her temples with her fingertips. What is wrong with me?
“Why should we grant you mercy?” Tierza asked. “You betrayed all of us to Drakne. I vouched for your character!”
“Allow me to explain—”
“Explain quickly.” Although not even one second had passed since Arante had demanded an explanation, she already had three arrows loaded into her bow— ready to let fly.
“I did not know who you were when I was compelled to make that wretched arrangement—”
“And that matters because?” Arante snarled.
“It matters because I have been able to maintain some normalcy of life for my kingdom by playing along with those in power. Granted, it may not be as noble a pursuit as blatant rebellion— however, I told myself that I was doing what was best for my people.”
“What was best for you, you mean,” Tierza snapped.
“Are the elves really so different?” he asked, a proud and indignant undertone rising in his voice. “You have cut yourselves off from the rest of the world— and you obstinately refuse time and time again to help in the fight against Vranah. Zenastra need not have fallen if you had joined us! Yet, you did not. And why? Because remaining neutral was best for your people— all others be hanged!”
“How dare you?!” Tierza demanded, looking as though she had been struck in the face.
“I was a lad of only sixteen when my kingdom fell! I saw my parents send envoy after envoy to your people— begging for help. Once, in sheer desperation, they came to you personally! Each time they were rejected— and ultimately, they were left alone to perish!
“When their burden fell to me, what was I to do? Where do you think I got the idea of putting my people first— regardless of the consequences for others? Whose example do you think I followed?!”
Tierza lurched forward as if she were going to kill Rezarahn with her bare hands— so quickly that she seemed blurred around the edges— but Laern held her back and Arante spoke before anyone else had a chance.
“As much as I agree with you about the uselessness of elves,” Arante began, “there is a difference between staying out of the fight and joining Vranah’s side so that you can live in luxury! Infinitesimal, I will admit— but a difference all the same.”
Tierza shot Arante a scathing glare, but said nothing.
“You are partially correct, Princess Arante,” Rezarahn answered with a respectful, albeit brief, bow of his head. “Whilst the safety of my kingdom was my first priority— I was being selfish as well. And I would have gone on in such a manner, had it not been for last night when I met all of you— particularly one of you. I realized in that instant that I no longer wanted to do the bidding of evil.”
He looked longingly at Lani. She looked at the ground and nervously twirled her hair. She couldn’t look into those emerald eyes— even in the near darkness that surrounded them now, his eyes held power. Rezarahn sighed and dropped his gaze away from her as his posture deflated and lost a tinge of its confidence.
“And now you stand before us as a redeemed saint. Penitent and ready to join the cause of righteousness,” Arante scoffed with an icy tone.
“I do not claim to share the remotest resemblance to a saint, Princess. Though penitent, yes.”
“Stop using my title!” Arante snapped. “You don’t have the right to address me at all.”
“I say we don’t take any chances and we kill him where he stands,” Tierza declared forcefully. Many of the rebels nodded and mumbled in agreement.
Rezarahn slowly knelt down on the ground keeping his hands up and his head bowed slightly. When he spoke again his tone was very solemn and sincere.
“If that is what you must do— then you must do it. I will put up no fight. I have proved as much already. Arante can attest to the fact that I am a fire master. As such, I could kill you all in the blink of an eye. However, I am choosing not to do so.
“Furthermore, this act of merciful defiance will bring down the wrath of Drakne— as well as that of Vranah— upon me. Therefore, your killing me would be a far better fate than what surely awaits me, once Drakne discovers my deception.”
“Stop trying to make it sound so noble!” Arante snapped.
“Maybe we should give him another chance,” Lani found herself saying quietly, without realizing it.
All eyes flashed to her in that instant. Rezarahn looked up at her with a soft close-lipped smile and eyes filled with gratitude. She was shocked by her sudden willingness to go out on a limb for him.
“He played you more than he played anyone here, and you’re sticking up for him?!” Kendra asked with an incredulous look on her face.
“I’m with Lani,” Raoul joined in with a strong tone. “People deserve a second chance.”
“Are you kidding me, Raoul?!” Justin asked. “We can’t trust him after what he did!”
“Agreed,” said Laern. “But we do not need to kill him. We can simply let him go. He can seek asylum with the Destavnian High Magistrates.”
“And have him following us?!” Erik retorted. “I don’t think so. If we let him live, he has to stay with us.”
“And then what? Sleep with one eye open every night?!”
The moment Arante finished her question, everyone started loudly talking at the same time. Rezarahn remained silent and kept perfectly still— head bowed, hands up, on his knees— as he waited for his fate to be decided. It was nearly impossible to hear anyone’s full point of view in the chaotic chatter.
No one seemed to be able to make up his or her own mind on the best course of action, or agree with anyone else’s opinion on the matter.
Still Rezarahn waited. The only thing that mattered to him was that not once in all this arguing did Lani lose her conviction that— whatever was to be done with him— execution should be off the list. If she had wished him dead— he would have requested that they kill him. He simply could not have borne her hatred.
Jharate returned to the meadow behind them all. The quarreling was so intense that no one noticed. He stood quietly, watching his people continue to fight over what to do with Rezarahn.
He listened to the various suggestions and arguments that were presented on all sides. However, he eventually ignored them to consult his own feelings on the matter.
Jharate narrowed his eyes and looked at Rezarahn intently. Was this a man who had made a wrong decision and who was still worthy of saving? Or, was he a merely traitor— trying to deceive them once again— who deserved to die? Jharate folded his arms as he pondered the matter— occasionally bringing one of his fists up to rest his chin on— never taking his eyes off Rezarahn.
“Silence!” Jharate roared.
All speech ceased immediately— all eyes turned in wild surprise and locked on Jharate as he walked forward to Rezarahn. He stopped just in front of him and looked down with an intense glare. His next words were measured and controlled— however, there was no denying the real threat contained within them.
