by Meco Brown
“Don't go toward the fire, we don't know what it is or what it will do to us.” There was no understanding what was happening; If Taideo was alive, I should be there; Then again Lillian was right. Running off into untold danger could be worse than anything I've ever come across. Standing here, waiting for an outcome tore open the vaults in my mind, opening the files that had any and everything to do with Taideo. The memories of our time together replayed in my head. The beginning, middle and end of our relationship flashed by in an instant. Taideo and I; Two men who couldn't have been more different, quickly became inseparable; Lost in love. I had to get to him.
“Oh no,” Lillian barked, “Airius look!” She held up her hands which began to ripple as if made of water.
“What is this...” I whispered, watching as my hands echoed Lillian's. For a second, the sky seemed to roar in my ears as my body was swallowed entirely of light, so much in fact my skin automatically began siphoning it. It too was happening to Lillian and Chloe. The sky suddenly flared beyond any glorious fire, exciting the air molecules, shedding light brighter than the sun and generating massive sparks of fire, so strong that the Fourth of July would be ashamed. A sudden wave of heat and ice spiraled outward from the glow within the sky, spreading across the forest and the town in back-to-back waves of torture. Flames crashed furiously against the front of Ms. Chestnut's house; Chloe blurred into the backyard with her.
“I'm sorry Lillian, I have to go!” I screamed!
“I'm coming with you.” Lillian and I ran at top speed, leaving Ms. Chestnut in Chloe's protection. I didn't even care that she saw Chloe's speed or that we siphoned the light; My only thought was focused on the fact that Taideo was alive. I didn't care how, I didn't care why, just as long as he was back in my life.
I rounded the corner and squinted over my shoulders, Lillian was right behind me. I broke out into a quicker run, zipping past the trees, dodging the flames scurrying towards me and could see in front of me a tiny orb of arctic fire spinning. We were getting close; Drifting left, then right, moving as several of the trees spontaneously combust, turning white then ash black. We kept going, even as the ground shook violently beneath our feet.
“Lillian, be careful”
“Got it,” She responded quickly.
The closer we got, the more ash began to pour from the blood red sky. Suddenly the ground began to buckle under my feet. The dirt explodes upward around me and I find myself hurling backwards from the force; Slamming through half the forest and landing on a few boulders.
Moments later, I open my eyes to find myself covered in dirt and twigs. My healing hasn't yet kicked in, as my flesh appears nearly as ripped as the shirt I had on. If it wasn't for my being a witch, this would have without a doubt been the end of me.
A deathly cry tore from my mouth, as I pulled a tree branch from my speared stomach, and reset my dislocated ankle. My body is savagely beaten. I had no idea how far I was from Lillian or how badly she'd been injured herself; Or even if Taideo was alright...
“Taideo,” I said, while using my telekinesis to slowly pull myself to my feet. “Lillian!” I bellowed, pounding my foot on top of every couple of boulders I walked on. Several of the trees had either been reduced to shattered frozen shrubs or blown to a wicked scorch. As I continued, my eyes narrowed upward, where the sky had returned to its natural state, yet gray ash still fell as if a snow blizzard had just ended. I felt the open wounds knit together as my strength quickly returned, and in a second I was running faster toward my original goal- Taideo.
I neared the edge of the forest, looking out into an open field that still burned with a less threatening fire. My eyes scanned the area, and I found Lillian in the center of this field kneeling over a body. Her head twisted around, tears forming in her eyes; But I couldn't bare walking any closer to her or the body. Lillian's visions normally come true, and if the one about Taideo being alive were, then why wasn't he awake? Why was he laying there? More importantly, how is he here? Was this a miracle, or something else entirely? In all my time on this earth, I've read and come across several spirits of fate; But none who would allow something like this to happen.
Five blurs raced past me, and the voices of Lillian, Brock, Chloe, Esmond, Payton and Aviva drifted into my ear; All reciting an awaking spell in Latin; Doing what they can to try and revive the body. I took a very long and deep inward sigh, and slowly marched forward.
I would have given anything to have him back, but not at the cost of him returning wrong. I shook the thoughts from my mind, and quickly fell to my knees.
Reaching out, I gently swept a long dark curl from his forehead, and for the first time in a long time, gazed upon the tender beauty, of the real Taideo Kavita.
VISITOR
I sat and stared out of the hospital window, scanning the barren West Virginian landscape. My heightened witch senses allowed me to see every leaf and twig swirling through the air. I could hear the wind howling against the building, even through thick walls of brick and stone; My senses alerted me to everything, except him.
It's December 9th, nearly two weeks after Taideo mysteriously came back to earth, and since the explosion surrounding his return ended. Several dozen citizens of Olah were killed during the celestial fire, many others were badly burned and some have yet to be found. It's amazes me how something unknown and deadly can cause people to develop their own truths on the matter. Authorities, along with the media, promoted a story about a nuclear power plant explosion near the town; Olah was apparently caught in the blast, which resulted in the horrific accident within the area.
Everyone seems to believe this lie. Still, this entire incident gave Brock a way to no longer be in Taideo's skin, and even managed to bring about a new-found closeness with all the towns citizens. People pulled together in order to help rebuild the town; During the day, everyone worked around the clock, doing their best to bring normal back into their lives. At night, my cousins did their part; With strength, speed and magic on their side, they were able to fix things faster, but in a way, no one would question the impossibly fast reconstruction in certain locations. While they did that, I remained with him.
The hospital room was quiet, minus the soft beat of the saline drops, and the electronic beeping of the heart monitor. I couldn't really hear Taideo breathing- even with my advanced hearing; It was so incredibly weak, but the wall monitors on the side of his bed showed Taideo's brainwaves; And that assured me that Taideo was alive- coma alive. The hospital was severely understaffed, but Taideo's grandmother kept as much attention on him as possible. Still, the nurses and doctors available hadn't been all that clear about his condition. One doctor told Ms. Chestnut and I that his heart was getting stronger, which was a good sign, yet they refused to use the word 'recovery'; Instead he was simply 'stable'. In my mind, I felt he wouldn't wake up, not until something was ready for him too.
Occasionally, I'd talk to Taideo as though we were sitting in his bedroom back at Ms. Chestnut's home, or a restaurant, having a normal conversation, telling him of all that had transpired with the town and the world in general since he'd been gone. But, mostly, I just sat near him, his hand in my own, and watched him with undying patience. “Taideo?” I whispered, sitting right next to him. “Please, wake up,” I said gently, “because honestly, I don't know how to keep living without you.” I could feel my eyes brim with unbidden tears; After all we shared, after all that was sacrificed, Taideo coming back now and not waking up was too horrible to accept as true. His lips quivered as I ran a single finger along his cheek, and watched as his face shivered at the numb touch.
I knew from the moment he returned and I laid eyes on him, that Taideo was in some type of pain. He didn't scream, but his body recoiled every so often, and his hands stiffened. The dry sobs of pain emerging from his perfect set of lips tore at me; Something awful was happening to him, and not one part of me liked any of it.
Over the course of the week, health wise nothing improved; But the changes in Taideo'
s appearance were more noticeable. His skin was glossier- a glistening light caramel almost; His black hair was thicker, longer and fell down the sides of his neck in tightly woven ringlets. And although he is currently bedridden, his body was a bit more defined and solid; Not by much, just enough for me to notice a small difference. The more he changed, the less pain he seemed to be in. Though I felt some strange force was doing this to him; Taideo's doctors believe his changes were due to the radiation from the power plant.
Morons, I thought to myself, as I stood to my feet and approached the window; Moonlight streamed into the room through the plastic blinds.
I couldn't help but notice that Taideo seemed as if he were somehow becoming a full witch. His appearance reflected it; But how could that be possible? His scent was the same and I could still sense his humanity. None of this made any since to me or my coven.
“You're still here?” Said a light voice.
I peeked over my shoulder and saw the red-headed doctor- Kat. She looked young, almost too young to even be a doctor.
“Never left.” I let out in a whisper.
“With all due respect, you should get home and get some rest.” She said grinning.
“Lately, I-I've been having trouble sleeping; So, I'd rather just be here.” I don't think I've ever been so open with a complete stranger, let alone a human. Perhaps I've just grown tired of all the silence. Since my family is out helping with the towns reconstruction, they are all usually busy; And being that the hospital is so understaffed, not a lot of people come through here constantly. The sound of her voice was better than the continuous quiet void surrounding me. Maybe that's why I responded to her.
“Listen sugar, we're all doing the best we can to care for him. You need to rest, or at least eat something.” She smiled while checking his chart.
“I'll be fine.” I said, facing her and crossing my arms. She was polite and I appreciated her concern.
“Sugar, I've worked in the medical field for the last seven years, and it's the same for any couple. You love him, I can see that. But you're going to need all your strength for whenever he wakes up.” She headed towards the door.
“How did you know we were together?” I asked before she left.
“The way you look at him; It's the look of true love.” She said, forming a widespread grin across her snow-white face.
I nodded and smiled at her conspiratorially. “Let me ask you something, before you leave.” I whispered, approaching her slowly. “What are the chances of Taideo ever waking up?”
She shrugged dismissively, obviously not wanting to delve further into the subject. “Everything will be fine...”
“Shh...” I replied, placing my anesthetic hands on her shoulders, and felt the rush of my power swallow her mind. I could see the bright gray sparkle of my eyes through her own. “Will you be truthful with me?” I asked calmly.
“Of course… I will.” She said in a hypnotic fascination.
I sighed as my grip on her shoulders tightened. “I am sure you've mentally gathered, that I have some type of claim over him.” I said with a smile, “You would be right. Taideo is mine, I claim him and everything there is to do with him, so... I ask you, what are the chances of Taideo ever waking up?”
“Minuscule, I would think.” She replied. “I'm sorry.”
I sighed, allowing my eyes to return to normal, and waved her away. I turned and sat down, reaching for Taideo's hand, being ever so careful not to mess up the IV line. I kept hoping for a response, thinking constantly he'd sense me near, and if only for a moment, that if he were to respond to anyone, that it would be me. That our love would be enough to beat this coma and to prove the doctors wrong. But of course, he didn't move.
“Taideo, you have to be okay.” I whispered. “I don't know what to do, magic isn't fixing this. Y-you have to wake up, please.”
Three soft knocks suddenly hit the door behind me, and I turned to see Eamie Littleton standing there. I stood, wiping my eyes.
“Eamie, hi.” I watched as her eyes fell on Taideo's unconscious body. Even though I knew she and her family were not normal, right now wasn't the time to creep for more information. We were here for Taideo, and that's all.
“Airius,” Eamie said, slowly moving over, taking a seat next to him. “Is he going to be okay?” I crossed my arms, and watched the tears falling from her rich dark chocolate eyes.
“I have to believe that he will be, it doesn't matter what they say. Taideo will beat this.”
“What exactly happened? Did he get caught in the power plant accident?” I looked down, met her eyes and nodded. I knew Eamie was Taideo's good friend, but how on earth could I help her through this, when I myself can't seem to do it. I couldn't even get over the image of Taideo's unconscious body on the ground, the day we found him, the day he returned to earth. Seeing him there stuck to my mind. Before I had a chance to say anything, she beat me to it. “Where did you find him?” Eamie asked.
“He was in a clearing in the forest.” I admitted.
“The forest? What the hell was he doing out there?”
I shrugged, “Wrong place, wrong time I guess.” I honestly preferred not to continue on with Taideo being the main subject of our conversation. Eamie sniffed, and plucked a few pieces of tissue from the box on the end table.
“This destruction, or celestial fire as they like to call it, has done so much damage.” She took a deep breath and blew her nose.
“You're alive at least.” I said, placing my hand on her shoulder.
“Not all of us.” She admitted.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
She twists around to face me more. “This destruction did more than just affect the main parts of town, it reached us on Celestial Moon. Our land is completely destroyed, the ground is littered with the bones of those caught within the arctic flames. My father, friends all dead, and my grandfather... is missing.” She said, doing her best to hold back tears.
It never truly hit me that Celestial Moon was also targeted by the blast. Although a part of me is saddened by this newfound information, perhaps since her father and a great deal of her people are gone, the lands over all spell holding my coven and I back may be broken. This could give me the opportunity to sneak up and check things out.
My jaw suddenly flashed with a bright and painful sting, enough to make my eyes water, as the shape of a fist drew away from my face. I twisted and squinted to readjust my eyesight and stared up at Eamie's older brother.
“Qui!” Eamie shouted!
“Get away from him, now!” He yelled at his sister, holding his hand out, and yanking her towards him when she stood to her feet. “I know exactly what you are, Airius. I see right through you.” Qui said. “You and your filthy kind, using magic to destroy our town. Now that' I've changed, I see your true face, witch!” He spat at me, pointing an accusing finger at my chest.
“Witch?” Eamie asked curiously.
“This disaster didn't happen because of us. We are not the cause of so much death surrounding Olah.” I said, silently grinding my teeth.
Qui pointed out the window. “This town was destroyed because you and your kind will magic that is poisonous, toxic to Mother Nature.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh, you bet your ass.” He said, growing angrier by the second. “You witches feeds on humans, how long did you actually think this so-called peace would last between our kind? My eyes are open now, Airius, my mind renewed with the knowledge of our elders.” Qui peeks over at Eamie, placing his hand on her cheek. “That's why you can't see all the way Eamie, you haven't yet transformed, but you will in time.” He said softly.
“The destruction of this town isn't to be placed on my families’ sway over witchcraft. It wasn't us.” I admitted.
“Then who was it? Huh?” Qui questioned.
“I can't say who caused it. But it wasn't us.” No matter what, I would do nothing to betray Taideo. I would rather go to war, than let them know
his so called resurrection was the cause of everything that has happened.
“If you're hiding the little terrorist, then you may as well be at fault, Airius.”
“Does Taideo know any of this?” Eamie asked me, tears falling from her eyes.
“Yes,” I said dryly.
“He knew that you are a monster?” She asked. Anger immediately swelled within me upon hearing the word 'monster'. Ever since I became this, I thought of myself as an abomination, I was everything that defined the word evil. But Taideo Kavita changed that for me, he never once saw a monster, only a champion. His love for me, gave me what I needed to think of myself as more than a creature of darkness. If I were capable of loving someone as pure and good as Taideo is, then I would continue to be that, to hold on to what Taideo saw me as, a champion. Still, hearing Eamie call me that did piss me off.
“I am not a monster!” I yelled threateningly.
Suddenly, Qui was in front of me, “Don't you dare raise your voice to my sister.” He barked loudly. I needed to release some anger. I raised my hands, holding my palms together in supplication, concentrating on the one person who summoned the red-hot fury of my anger. Eamie's brother just had to make a move, and that, was a terrible mistake.
I shoved my palms toward him, and felt the gathered telekinetic power empty from my hands. The energy I called forth slammed into Qui's body, hammering him back against the far wall. I glanced over my shoulder, watching as Eamie filled the doorway, heavily frightened. A fierce growl snapped at me. Qui swept his hands out, hooking his sharp lion-like claws into my shoulder! Twisting directly to my left, I ripped his claws out, freeing myself from the savage grip. I pulled myself toward him, grabbing his wrist before he could strike again, yanking it in the opposite direction. Bones popped, and Qui angrily yelled out in horrifying pain. As I tossed him toward the window with my power, his free hand gripped my shirt, and the two of us crashed straight through the glass!
Even as we fell, it seemed to happen in almost super-slow-motion. Shards of broken metal and glass, surround us as we continuously exchange multiple punches, several headbutts and both fought to land on top of the other. As we fell from Taideo's eleventh floor hospital window, Qui got the better of me, shielding himself from the blunt force of the fall.
