Elpis

by Aaron McGowan

  “I have scouts searching for his present location,” Rilv said. “I will let you know as soon as he has been spotted. In the meantime, you must get ready to fight.”

  Terico sat still for a minute, going over everything Rilv had said. If Terico could get a hold of the rest of the Elpis, he would have the power to save Suran.

  He just needed to find Delkol.

  Rilv left when Terico assured her he would rest in his bed. He had to be helped into the bed because his body had gone numb, but afterward Terico lay there, thinking only of Suran.

  Once Rilv was gone and Terico had recovered from his numbness, he got out of bed and used the Elpis fragments to find where Delkol was hiding. Terico had expected Delkol to use the golden Nexi stone to find Terico and fly to him right away, but it seemed Delkol was hoping to invade the city for the select purpose of obtaining the full Elpis.

  Terico activated the energy and searched for Delkol the same way he had after flying out of Suran and Lanek’s airship. The process was just as painful and difficult as before, but Terico forced himself to keep at it.

  Seconds turned to minutes, and though Terico was able to access the golden Nexi energy, he couldn’t visualize any clear image of where Delkol was.

  Is he hiding himself with the Elpis somehow? Terico wondered. He fought back the pain and continued to search. His head rang with a dozen headaches, and it soon became too much for Terico to handle. He dropped his Elpis fragments and gripped his head tight.

  This can’t be happening, he thought. Why is the Elpis failing me now? Right when I need it most...

  Time passed slowly, and Terico could do little to make the pain of the Elpis go away. It lingered on, much stronger than it ever had before. He was using its power too much, and too soon. He felt as if a part of him had melted away from the inside, never to be fully healed again.

  I’m dying, he thought. If I keep using the Elpis like this...

  His own life was of little concern at the moment. He sat on his bed and stared down toward Suran, wishing above all else that he’d find a way to save her. All his efforts thus far availed him nothing, though. He hadn’t even come close to saving her.

  It’s not right, Terico thought. It’s not right for you to die.

  Her breathing only slowed down, however. Terico tried willing himself to recover from his Elpis use, but there was nothing he could do. The pain and exhaustion only remained, and even as day turned to night, Terico still felt overwhelmed by his repeated access of the Elpis’s energies.

  The room turned dark, and Terico found himself kneeling by Suran’s bed once more. She hadn’t spoken at all since she responded to Terico’s marriage proposal. He gripped her hand once more, and felt as if he was dipping his hand into icy water.

  No. Not yet. Please hold out a little longer, Suran...

  He stood up and felt for a pulse in her wrist, then in her neck. There was no heartbeat. He placed an ear over her heart and listened for ten seconds, but there was no response.

  Wide-eyed and breathless, Terico immediately took his Elpis pieces and held them over Suran’s heart. He accessed the Elpis energy and exerted every ounce of strength he had to bring healing energy to Suran’s heart.

  It was too hard to control. In seconds the power of the Elpis brought unbearable pain to every nerve in Terico’s body. He threw aside the Elpis pieces and gripped the side of Suran’s bed, struggling to keep standing. Breathing heavily, Terico stared down at Suran’s unmoving form through rushing tears.

  “Please... wake up, Suran,” Terico whispered. “Please wake up.”

  She simply lay there, placid and soundless.

  There was still no heartbeat, and her body only remained frigid and still. Suran had stopped breathing, and there was no response when Terico tried to shake her awake.

  He knelt down and lay his head against Suran’s, falling into a cycle of continuous weeping.

  Suran was dead, and once again Terico’s power availed him nothing.

  The night grew darker with each passing hour, and the complete exhaustion and torment of his body slowly forced him into a deep sleep. He soaked Suran’s pillow with his tears, and flooded his dreams with visions of what may have been.

  11

  A War of Vengeance

  The next day came and passed, leaving Terico to rest and recover from his repeated use of the Elpis fragments. As he had expected, Rilv was displeased he had used the Elpis before he was ready, as it would make it impossible for him to fully recover in time to face Delkol at full strength. Terico could not get himself to care for Rilv’s words, as she had made it clear she did not care whether Suran lived or not. In fact, Rilv was probably hoping Suran would die quickly, before Terico could try using the Elpis to save her.

  Rilv went on about how Terico had jeopardized the entire kingdom, and how he had placed Suran’s life before the lives of the thousands who lived in Setar. Terico felt he would have made the same choice again if put under the same circumstances. A part of him would have even sacrificed the city if it could bring Suran back, as cruel as this sounded.

  He held on to one last possibility for bringing Suran back, though. The full Elpis was said to give one godlike powers. In time, Terico felt there was a chance he could bring Suran back to life.

  Upon learning of her death, Rilv and the doctor prepared to take Suran away to prepare for burial. Terico demanded they leave her in bed, however. If Delkol was going to strike soon, Terico intended to obtain the Elpis from him and try healing Suran with its full power. Rilv complied with the demand, perhaps just hoping to keep Terico on her side. They both understood Terico was necessary for defeating Delkol.

  Perhaps it was the one thing Terico and Rilv could see eye-to-eye on. Delkol had to die, both as retribution for what he had done, and for the safety of the Fiefs Kingdom.

  In a way, it was the only thing Terico had left. His home was gone. His parents were gone. Suran was gone. And though Turan was still alive, for all intents and purposes he was gone too. All that was left was the hope in a revenge that could ease Terico’s misery. Even if it helped just a little, it would be worth it to kill Delkol.

  And yet, Terico found himself questioning if even that would please him. What would killing Delkol do for him? It wouldn’t really change anything. Everyone would still be dead.

  No, the Elpis, Terico thought, staring blankly at the ceiling. There’s still the Elpis. If I have all four pieces, I can do whatever I wish. I can save Suran. I can save everyone. Nobody will be able to stop me. I can destroy the Brotherhood. I can destroy the whole Fiefs Kingdom. There won’t be any more war then. Nobody else would have to suffer again.

  Rilv eventually returned in the afternoon, looking utterly exhausted herself. Terico realized she pretty much had the safety of the kingdom on her shoulders, but he couldn’t get himself to pity her.

  “A messenger of the Fiefs army has brought this for you.” Rilv handed Terico a thin scroll, forcing him to sit up and read it.

  “The Kingdom of Fiefs will fall by tomorrow evening. I offer you, Terico, the same choice I offered your father. Give up the Elpis fragments, or I will repeat what I did in Edellerston—only on a much grander scale. You should understand well how serious I am when I say I am willing to kill every man, woman, and child in this land.

  I do not seek to destroy this city. My only wish is to claim my rightful place as king of Fiefs. Unless you wish to have the blood of Setar’s entire populace on your hands, I suggest delivering the two Elpis fragments you have by noon tomorrow.”

  Delkol’s letter meant little to Terico. Obviously Terico wasn’t going to give up his pieces of the Elpis. And it was a blatant lie that Delkol did not wish to destroy the city. Terico doubted there was anything the man enjoyed more than the bloodshed of innocent life.

  “His armies will invade tomorrow then,” Terico said.

  “Yes,” Rilv said. “Do you wish to respond to this message?”

  Terico handed the scroll back. “There�
�s no need. Just prepare the armies. I will try to defeat Delkol as soon as I can.”

  “Our armies are assembled,” Rilv said. “Reinforcements may arrive tomorrow, if we are fortunate—but we can not rely on this possibility.”

  “I will kill Delkol,” Terico said.

  It is all I have left to live for.

  “Rest as much as you can in the meantime,” Rilv said. “Do not use the Elpis until you fight Delkol.” She tore apart the message Delkol sent and left the room.

  Terico agreed and lay back down. His thoughts drifted from one thing to the next, and nothing in his head seemed to make sense anymore. It may have been in part due to his repeated use of the Elpis, but Terico felt he mainly just couldn’t grasp the series of events his life had spiraled into the last few days. One minute Suran was alive again, and the next minute she was dead again. How was it that life could play out so cruelly? The fact that it was Terico’s fault Suran died only made the pain worse, as well as the fact it was Terico’s best friend who killed her.

  Every happy moment of Terico’s past felt as if it had shattered. Long gone were the days Terico would sit in class with Turan and Suran, and enjoy chatting together and planning their small adventures. Though it was only a few weeks ago that he had been doing just that, it felt like an entirely different lifetime.

  Some time in the afternoon, Areo, Borely, and Kitoh came to visit to see how Terico was doing. The three had been spending most their time training with some of the special forces within the Fiefs royal army, preparing for the upcoming battle with the Brotherhood and Shire armies. They each expressed condolences for Terico’s loss, and recounted how they were all thankful for Suran and everything she had done for them during their brief time with her. Terico didn’t want to dwell on the subject, especially with Suran’s body still present in the room.

  “I hope the three of you will be able to find your way once this is all over,” Terico said. He knew that none of them had really wished to get so caught up in all this. “And I hope you’ll all get through this battle unscathed.”

  “I’ll be okay,” Kitoh said. “I’ve been given this.” He held up a Nexi stone that shined a very dark yellow—perhaps an orangeish yellow.

  “What is it?” Terico asked.

  “It was a gift from Vursa to Setar a long time ago,” Kitoh said. “There are eigni who are capable of creating new kinds of Nexi stones, and this is one of the most powerful ones ever created. If the user is strong enough, a magnificent creature can be summoned.”

  “That’s good,” Terico said. “We’ll need all the help we can get to hold off the Shire armies. I’m sure you’ll be able to wield that Nexi stone well.”

  Kitoh didn’t respond, but he looked less afraid than he had while on the airship. Terico hoped the boy would be able to fulfill the wishes of his parents and return to his city with the respect he’d deserve. It was probably going to be a rough life for the child, but Terico felt confident Kitoh would be able to handle the trials ahead—and likely with a reserve Terico could never be capable of.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll watch over him,” Borely said.

  “You need to watch yourself,” Areo said. “Remember all those times I had to save your life on that Brotherhood airship?”

  Borely’s face tightened and glowered, though he kept from looking back at Areo. “It’s hard to forget. You’ve only reminded me of it a hundred times now.”

  “I won’t be there to save you every time you get in trouble,” Areo said.

  “I’ll be fine!” Borely yelled. “You just watch whose neck it is you sink your teeth into out there. I’ll be ready to punch through your heart the moment you turn against us.”

  “Is this another joke of yours?” Areo asked. “There’s no way you would land a punch on me in a fight, of course.”

  Terico looked to Kitoh and sighed. “I’m glad they’re getting along so well.”

  “I think it has improved a little...” Kitoh said.

  Terico didn’t care to tell the two to work together any more than he already had before. They wouldn’t have to be together on the battlefield, so this was probably the last time they’d be together. Unless, of course, Borely was still trying to get Areo to pay for his ship. Terico doubted things would end well for Borely if the sailor continued to push that agenda.

  Eventually the three left to return to their training and preparations for battle. Terico was left alone once more, and there was nothing to do but lie in bed and ponder everything he had gone through since that fateful day. The day Edellerston was attacked had flung Terico on an adventure he never could have imagined undertaking. It was all drawing to a close now, and he knew his life would change forever over the next twenty-four hours.

  His primary objective was obvious. Kill Delkol. And in the process of obtaining his revenge, Terico would also gain the remaining two Elpis fragments. With their leader dead and the full Elpis in Terico’s hands, the Shire armies would have no choice but to retreat.

  And then what?

  I could destroy all those armies. Obliterate the Brotherhood forever.

  With the full Elpis, this would be a simple matter, Terico believed. There would be no more pain from utilizing the Elpis, and Terico would be free to access any and all Nexi powers whenever he pleased.

  There’s only a few other things I would use it for, though, Terico thought. Bring Suran back to life. Heal Turan, assuming he hasn’t died in the battle. And bring back my parents, and all of Edellerston, if it isn’t too late.

  Terico thought those killed in the attack on Edellerston may have been dead too long for Terico to bring back to life. Their spirits had left several weeks ago now, and there were likely limitations to what even the Elpis could do.

  There was no telling what Terico would be able to do, however. He had to obtain the second half of the Elpis in order to find out.

  As night fell, he drifted to sleep, plotting all the ways he would use his Elpis fragments in order to kill Delkol. Once Delkol was finished off for good, Terico’s new life could finally begin.

  Sleep came to Terico unwillingly. After all, how could a reasonable person sleep when the one he loved lay dead in the very same room? And yet he slept, the constant barrage of painful thoughts breaking his mind and dulling his senses.

  Kill Delkol, and all will be right again, Terico thought over and over.

  The night passed without interruption, as Rilv had instructed the nurses to make sure Terico got all the rest he could. He received food in the morning, which helped him get his strength back. Though he still had a horrendous headache, Terico felt the pain in his body had dissipated for the most part. He was sore and numb, but he felt he’d be able to fight by the time he’d face Delkol.

  He pushed himself out of bed and stood up, his weak legs nearly collapsing beneath him. Holding on to his bed and Suran’s, Terico spent a few minutes just trying to get feeling back to his legs. Maintaining this position was difficult though, as Terico’s arms were weak and dull as well.

  Terico fell to his knees and took slow, deep breaths. Though most of the pain from the Elpis had faded away, it was more difficult to move than Terico had expected. On top of this, his vision turned blurry, and slowly darkened over the next several minutes. Terico shut his eyes, hoping his eyesight wouldn’t give him any trouble when it came time to fight.

  Perhaps an hour passed before Rilv arrived with a couple royal guards. Terico forced himself to stand, but wasn’t able to hide his discomfort in the act of doing so.

  “You still haven’t recovered,” Rilv said.

  “I’ll be fine,” Terico said. “The Elpis will strengthen me.”

  Rilv simply tightened her gaze on Terico a bit in response.

  “You worry about the Shire armies and the Brotherhood,” Terico said. “I will kill Delkol as fast as I possibly can.” He knew he couldn’t promise a quick victory, so he didn’t bother pretending. There was no doubt in Terico’s mind that Delkol had a plan in mind for him, and
it wasn’t unlikely that Delkol had discovered new and powerful uses with the Elpis. The fight would be difficult, but Terico felt confident he would find a way to defeat Delkol. Once on the battlefield, it all boiled down to split-second decisions. Delkol may be the more experienced fighter, but Terico knew he could pull through with superior ingenuity and dexterity. He also felt he would be better-prepared to handle the pain of the Elpis, having experienced so much of it over the past twenty-four hours.

  One of the guards with Rilv placed a set of clothes and several pieces of armor on Terico’s bed. The other guard added some more armor, and held out a sword for Terico to use. Terico took it and looked it over. It was about the same size as the longsword he had back in Edellerston, though there was a stark difference in quality and detail. Just looking at it, Terico could tell this blade was much sharper, and the fine metals embedded in the hilt easily made this sword many times more valuable than all of Terico’s previous swords put together.

  “Is this the sword of the king then?” Terico asked.

  “No,” Rilv said. “You have not been officially instated as king yet. But I don’t intend to send you out there poorly armed. This is a sword of the royal Fiefs line. Our armies will recognize you as a leader, and will be looking up to you for strength in this battle.”

  Terico nodded, understanding that the situation regarding the royal succession was likely a matter of great discussion amongst the ranks at the moment.

  Rilv and the guards left Terico to change, asking him to join them outside the castle once he was ready.

  The uniform was black with purple and gold embellishments, while the armor gleamed a brilliant white and yellow. Once he got his uniform on, Terico tied each of the metal guards to his body, covering his torso, arms, legs, and sides. The sword slid into its metal sheath with the clean, precise sound of a perfect fit.

  He walked slowly toward the door, a deep, stinging pain starting to develop all throughout his body. It was difficult to push himself this soon, after using the Elpis as many times as he had.