“What say you now?” asked Solomon through clenched teeth.
“I say you’re a fool to come here this night,” said Talis. He never even flinched.
Solomon’s body clenched as Talis’ fingers wrapped around his wrists. The skin-on-skin contact somehow sent a powerful surge of pain through his muscles. His limbs writhed, and his swords crashed to the ground. He fell to the floor alongside them.
Talis stood over him, his eyes narrowed as he slid his fingers across his skin once more. Solomon convulsed again, howling in agony from his touch.
“I knew you were still in there,” said Solomon through the pain. His teeth clenched and his body contorted.
Talis gave a deep exhalation and released as Solomon’s body relaxed. He pushed himself to a seated position on the floor, rubbing his sore body.
“I won’t deny that I owe you my life,” said Talis. “If this is the favor you ask of me, then I’ll help you to repay my debt. But this is the last time, agreed?” said Talis, his expression defeated and grave. Solomon smiled, knowing Talis still wielded his powers.
“Fair is fair,” said Solomon as Talis pulled him to his feet. He sheathed his swords and made to leave. “We must hurry. If we’re too late…” His face fell, and he threw open the door.
Talis donned his shoes and followed suit. They disappeared into the black night. As the midnight snow engulfed them in a white blanket, a young girl peered out of a circular glass-paned window from where the two men just left. Her sapphire eyes searched for their footsteps, but the snow concealed them in the night.
The men dashed through the blizzard at a quickened pace. As they twisted up the road, they passed a wide, fenced-in space. A large sign hung on a stake. Solomon squinted, trying to read the sign through the snowfall.
He saw ‘The Field’ carved in white letters. Tall, barren trees sprouted up under the shade of the mountain. Solomon recognized it and pushed faster, the storm helping to muffle their footsteps. Talis, although a bit older than Solomon, never fell behind.
“This way!” shouted Solomon over the howling wind. They headed for the mouth of the Vanishing Tunnels where a guard slumped in the snow. He looked as if he slept if not for the trickle of blood that crept from the side of his head and dyed the white floor red.
“Trying to be discreet?” said Talis with a stern look.
Solomon just kept running.
They entered the dark tunnels, a haven from the blistering wind, but the cold still found them there. Solomon bent down and retrieved a small lantern he had stowed. He lit it with a match from his pocket, the fire thrashing at the oil and burning bright in the darkness of the caves.
“Here, take the map and navigate us back to my side of town,” he said, shoving a piece of crumpled paper towards Talis.
He snatched it out of his hands and unfolded it, holding it near his face in the dim light. “We’re here,” said Talis, pointing a wrinkled finger at the map.
Solomon peered over his shoulder with the lantern. Many lines signified the tunnels and Talis gestured to one labeled the Healer’s District. “We should go straight for most of the way. We’ll take the second path on the right. That should lead us to your district,” he said, rolling the map up and placing it within his robes.
“Alright, let’s be on our way then. We’ve wasted too much time already,” said Solomon as he started back at a running pace.
Talis followed at his heels for the rest of the way, their heavy footsteps echoing loud in the silence of the tunnels. It took them twenty minutes to run the paths that led towards the Warrior’s District. The light of the lantern bounced off the walls the entire journey, creating monstrous shadows on the stone and giving the appearance of unwelcome company.
When they finally saw a small glint of light up ahead, they knew the entrance loomed near. They willed their legs even faster with the hope of leaving that wretched tunnel behind.
Solomon came to an abrupt halt at the mouth of the underpass, throwing his arm out for Talis to stop. They could hear the chattering of two guards only a few feet away.
“Of course she’s done for,” said one of the guards in a tired voice. “How can anyone survive that kind of blow?”
“I suppose we’ll be finding out tomorrow. That sure was some battle though. I wish more of these kids would hack away at each other,” replied the other.
The other guard chuckled. “Sure wasn’t a boring show.”
“I’ll give you a show.” Solomon unsheathed a sword and, using the pommel, delivered just one strike to each. With two muffled thuds, the guards lay face down in the snow, unconscious.
“I see you’re still practicing old habits,” said Talis, shaking his head. Solomon surveyed his victory, a smile twisting on his lips.
“They’ll be fine. Let’s get going. There isn’t much time.” Solomon took Talis’ arm and hurried him down the twisting path of the district. A few lights flickered in windows they passed, but, for the most part, darkness shrouded everything.
Finally, the walls of the Dueling Arena loomed ahead. Solomon pushed on the metal gates, and they creaked open, the blizzard drowning out the noise. They jogged over to the far side of the arena where name plaques hung on the various doors. They passed Master Nikolan Crane, Master Yun Frances, Master Lorundin Land, and Master Hendorus Pennings before they reached their destination.
As they walked further, they stopped at a door that read Master Solomon Bell in fancy, silvered letters. Solomon pulled out a long, brass key and inserted it into the wooden door of his private sparring room. It clicked, and the door swung open at his hand.
Inside, lanterns poured light into all corners of the stone room. At the far left, a wide practice space opened up, and, on the right, stacks of weapons rested against the wall near a lone bench. At the front of the room, another wooden door became apparent. Solomon took Talis by the arm and led him through.
The door swung open. The smell of sickness stung their noses and stifled the air. The lanterns glowed too bright in the small space, and they saw Cyn seated in the corner, her gray robes covered in dried blood and bags swelling under her tired eyes. In the center of a room was a blood-spattered bed where a blood-spattered girl lay.
Solomon’s expression fell as he flashed frightened eyes at the caretaker. She shook her head in defeat. Kneeling at the bed that held Arianna’s body, he took her cold hand in his, nuzzling it at his cheek while warm tears melted on her skin. Her flesh had turned ghostlike, and her body looked black and bruised all over.
“It was too much.” Cyn placed her head in her hands and began to weep. “I tried, but there wasn’t enough time. She’s too weak. Her body isn’t cooperating with any of the medicines this time.” She choked.
“Move aside, Solomon,” said Talis. Cyn barely noticed the man. He grabbed Arianna’s hand away from Solomon and placed two fingers at the wrist. “She still has a pulse but just barely,” he said, his expression vague and unreadable.
“Can you bring her back?” asked Solomon.
“I’ll try,” he said with a less-than-optimistic tone. “Miss, you’re the caretaker here I suspect?” Cyn nodded. She looked from Talis to Solomon, unsure.
“Her name is Cyn,” said Solomon.
“Cyn, how long has she been unconscious?”
“Almost three hours. She lost so much blood before she was brought to me. I’m sure there’s internal damage as well, but I can’t get to that without surgery and—” she choked again as more tears streamed down her face. “I did everything I could, but there isn’t possibly a way to heal her in this state,” she said, dropping her head in her hands.
Solomon went to place a consoling hand on her shoulder as Talis examined Arianna’s limp body. “It’s a miracle she even lasted five minutes, Solomon. From the looks of her, I’d say she put up quite a fight.”
“She did,” said Solomon, nodding.
“Please, leave us now. I need concentration if I’m to have any hope of reviving this child. Go,”
he said, peeling back the white sheet that covered Arianna.
“Bring her back to me,” said Solomon. He took Cyn and left the room, leaving Talis to observe the daunting task at hand.
Noting her injuries, Talis saw Cyn had tried to stitch up the large gash at the side of her stomach. It still gushed with fresh blood, and the ointments worked at a sluggish pace. Cyn had cleaned and cared for all of the wounds with skill, but he now saw the bruising from the internal wounds she spoke of.
Scrutinizing the details, he scrunched up his face. Any more tampering with her already mangled body would surely result in a swift death.
Her chest rose up and down, too slow to be natural and only noticeable in her naked state. He knelt down so that his face aligned with hers. “I don’t know if you are worth all this or what you are capable of, but my friend has confidence in you. For that, I’ll try and grant you one more chance at this miserable life.” Talis’ whisper sank into the hovering silence of the starch white room.
He got up, placing both hands on her cold stomach. As he closed his eyes, his head drooped in concentration. His silver hair draped all around his face, and his lips moved as strange words rolled off his tongue.
Working his hands up and down her body, he massaged the skin. Arianna lurched at his touch, so he pressed harder. “Only those deemed worthy can be restored,” he said with shaking hands. “Are you worthy, Arianna?” He felt out of practice, the power draining his energy.
Her body writhed more and more, convulsing under the touch of his scarred fingers. He worked his hands harder, and the foreign language spilled from his mouth in a whirl of passion.
As his voice raised, a soft white light trickled from his palms and spread about Arianna’s shaking body, encasing her in a glimmering cocoon. The brightness swam around her in a blanket as Talis sang his spell. The light animated and buzzed faster across her skin, awakening all of the nerves in her body like an electrical current.
Arianna continued to tremble at his touch, looking worse than before. “Onasyuda!” cried Talis with one last push of his fingertips at her skin.
The light fell from her body like glittering rain, melting into the air before it hit the floor.
When Talis opened his eyes, everything stilled as before, Arianna unchanged. Her body still looked bloodied and limp on the white mattress, her wounds unhealed.
“Seems Solomon put his faith in the wrong child, I’m afraid.” He shook his head, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Another battle claimed by Death,” he said in a sorrowful voice.
He replaced the white sheet over her body and gently pulled it to cover her ashen face. Only her pale hand was visible as it hung loose off the bed.
PART TWO
CHAPTER EIGHT
DEAD
“No, you lie!” screamed Solomon as he slammed Talis Churry into the wall. Solomon’s eyes welled with tears, but he would not permit them to fall. Cyn sank to the floor and began to sob.
“Solomon, the girl is dead. I did all that I could, but her body rejected the—” He glanced down at Cyn who paid them no attention. “—the treatment. I’m truly sorry,” he said in a soft voice. He placed a consoling hand on Solomon’s shoulder, pushing him to arm’s length. “She just wasn’t strong enough.”
Solomon shoved past Talis in disbelief, pushing the door open to the Well Room. “Arianna,” he mumbled as a warm tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away and stepped forward to kneel by the bedside.
Talis stood in the doorway, and Cyn couldn’t muster the courage to enter as she continued to weep.
“She had so much promise,” said Solomon, blinking up at Talis. “I don’t understand why your magic didn’t work. You must’ve made some mistake! Perhaps, you didn’t even try at all. You’ve lost all of your confidence.” His voice cracked as his eyes bore into Talis.
Talis stepped inside the room, pulling the door closed as he did. “I was dragged here tonight to revive a girl who was already cold to the touch!” he snapped back, offended by Solomon’s accusation. “Even magic can’t bring back the dead, Solomon! Mind you, I still gave it my best effort to will her back to life.”
Solomon just gazed meekly up at Talis. Softening at his friend’s pained expression, Talis bent down to kneel beside him.
“Solomon, friend—” he said, forcing the last word between his lips.
“No, don’t.” He scrunched his eyes closed as he grasped Arianna’s cold hand. He couldn’t bear to lift the sheet covering the rest of her.
“The spells we mastered and practiced for so many years… well you know the power that we possess. I know you don’t know much about healing magic, but it doesn’t work the same way your defensive spells do.” Talis paused for a moment, trying to find the right words.
Solomon began to lose focus, his eyes glazing over, but Talis continued on.
“No matter the level or expertise of any sorcerer, healing magic can only be summoned. It can’t be wielded to obey every command as you command your sword. It can be conjured for a purpose but never controlled once it’s been called. Not unless the magic submits itself in its own right,” he said.
“Are you saying your magic chose not to help her?” Solomon’s lips pressed into a hard line.
“I’m saying I beckoned the strongest curative magic that my old knowledge could evoke. Her body wouldn’t accept it, or, maybe, the magic wouldn’t accept her. I do not know,” said Talis as he glanced at the body.
“There must be something more you can do? Try again,” pleaded Solomon. He grabbed the collar of Talis’ cloak and pulled him closer to his face.
Talis shook his head. “She’s passed on, Solomon. Now, I must bid you farewell,” he said as he tugged away from his grasp. He moved to the door. “I truly am sorry for your loss,” he said before pushing the door open to leave.
“Wait!” Solomon said. His eyes pinned on Arianna, and he clutched at his heart. Talis turned and saw why the sudden panic, his mouth falling agape to mimic Solomon.
“I don’t understand…” Astonished, Talis sauntered over to the bedside.
“What’s happening?” asked Solomon. “What is this magic?” He stood from his kneeling position and stepped back from the bed. Talis yanked down the white sheet that covered Arianna’s body. As it fell to the floor at their feet, both men gasped.
Arianna’s naked body lay still as ever, but a light radiated under her skin, making her glow from the outside. Seconds later, the beam sucked to a concentrated orb of gleaming light. It snaked under her skin and glowed dim like a clouded sun. The orb moved, settling atop her belly. It stretched and coiled all around her body with a mind of its own.
As it wrapped around her skin, Talis and Solomon could only watch in shock and silence. Right before them, Arianna’s dried wounds melted away, and her bruised flesh painted with life again. A smile played on Talis’ lips.
“Could it be?” gasped Solomon as he grabbed Talis’ hand, squeezing it tight.
As the light passed over Arianna’s heart, it stalled there, absorbing back below her skin. Without warning, the orb exploded with a luminous spark that seeped through every pore in her body before vanishing.
Arianna’s eyes flew open with a blue-silver glow, and her chest expanded as she gasped for breath. The cool air burned her lungs with delicious life, and her heart pounded in her chest at the sweet taste of blood. Solomon ran to her, cupping her face in his hands. Her skin warmed and softened from her corpse-like state, and he relished in the gift of life.
“Solomon? What’s happened?” she asked, bewildered as she regained her voice. A wide grin broke across his face at the familiar question. It seemed as if she had just awoken after another strenuous training session. It was just like any other day… except everything had changed.
“A miracle,” he said, glowing with happiness. “A miracle has happened for us all this day.”
After Solomon relinquished his hold on Arianna, Cyn came bursting through the door having heard all of the commo
tion. Immediately spotting Arianna, she blundered through the room and pulled her into a warm embrace.
“Mercy, I don’t believe it!” she said as she looked Arianna up and down. All her wounds had vanished. “What in the world has happened? How…” She shook her head from the confusion. “Solomon, tell me how.” Cyn tried to grasp the words tangled on her tongue.
“I might be able to offer a bit of an explanation,” said Talis.
Arianna glanced at him with a quizzical expression, lost for words. Cyn and Solomon backed away as Talis sauntered towards the bedside.
“How do you feel, Arianna?” asked Talis in a gentle voice.
Arianna shrugged back, suddenly aware of her nakedness. She swung her stiff legs from the bed and wrapped herself in the tattered, blood-stained robes that lay at her feet. The fabric felt warm and welcome against her skin.
“I feel extremely muddled,” she said, pulling her fingers through her matted hair as she tried to make sense of things.
“Yes, of course.” Talis waved a hand as if her confusion did not concern him. “But physically, how do you fare?” he asked with an excited gleam in his eye.
“As good as new, I suppose,” she said, examining her arms and legs. She pressed her fingers to her stomach and felt a thin scar there. “I feel perfect, but I don’t understand.”
She put her hands to her head, trying to assemble all of her thoughts, but they just kept blending into a giant lump. She needed some clarity.
“Who are you? What happened?” She let the questions pour from her lips, pleading for the solution to her jumbled mind. “I remember the battle and the taste of blood in my mouth. I remember the pain and Grinda.” She could barely force the name from her lips. “Then, there was only a darkness that I couldn’t swim out of,” she said. Her voice trailed off as she tried to grasp onto her memories.
“Then what, Ara, honey?” interrupted Cyn, fiddling with her fingers as she struggled to contain the urge to suffocate Arianna in another hug.
Belvedor and the Four Corners (Belvedor Saga Book 1) Page 7
