The Guardians of the Forest: Book One

by Kelly Napoli

CHAPTER 6

  AFTERMATH

  Kiethara and Navadar walked together to her hammock. The sun was high in the midday sky. Could it really be only just after morning? Every step she took throbbed, reminding her of her very recent near death experience. The cut on her arm was starting to sting and the bruises on her skin were growing darker.

  With her tired head held high, they weaved through the trees. No one spoke. She couldn’t think of anything to break the silence. She was burning to know what had happened between Navadar and Aaron while she was in the lake, but afraid to ask.

  Lightning.

  Out of all the things in the world, she had almost been bested by a storm?! Could her luck get much worse? Out of everything that could destroy the forest, a simple act of nature came close to accomplishing the deed.

  Of course, there was a reason. Aaron was back. Was this why the forest had caught? To bring Aaron back? If she still believed that everything happened for a reason, which she did, than maybe she shouldn’t be too resentful of the flames.

  “How did the fire start?” Navadar asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

  “Oh, um…lightning. A storm,” she said.

  “Lightning?” he asked in surprise.

  “Yes,” she mused. “Just my luck, eh?”

  “Your luck can’t be that bad,” he argued.

  “Really?” she challenged, raising an eyebrow. A smile played at her lips.

  “It wasn’t Gandador,” he pointed out.

  Still, out of everything, it felt degrading that it had been lightning. If there hadn’t been a storm, she would be having pleasant conversations with Navadar in her clearing, not recovering from battle wounds with him.

  “You don’t look too convinced,” he said.

  “No, I am,” she said quickly, adjusting her tone of voice.

  “Good,” Navadar replied, and they continued to walk in silence.

  After what seemed like hours they reached Kiethara’s clearing. Every muscle in her body was screaming its protest and the thought of drifting into a peaceful sleep in a swaying hammock was all she could think about. Despite this, when she stepped out from the thick trees and into her clearing, she wanted to turn around and hike her way back to Aaron.

  Her pile was gone. Now that she thought of it, it shouldn’t really come as a surprise; she had seen the animals tear up her belongings with her own two eyes. She felt a rush of relief as she realized her mother’s locket was around her neck, instead of in the pile it would have been in. She refused to think the locket was safe because of Gandador’s actions.

  Her gaze flickered to her hammock and then to the horrific scene behind it.

  Everything was black.

  Half of the ring of trees that created her clearing were gone, and all those behind them. The smell of smoke tainted the air and burned her throat as she took in the rancid air. She stared in disbelief, wide eyed, at the horrendous miracle in front of her. Horrendous, because the burnt landscape resembled more of a nightmare than reality. A miracle, because if it had taken her a few more seconds to put out the fire, her clearing would be gone.

  Kiethara took a few cautious steps forward, her aching body suddenly numb. She walked past her hammock and into the vast patch of burnt land that stretched for miles, freezing just before it as the sense of loss almost crippled her. For the first time in her life, she could look towards the horizon and see it without a single tree blocking her view.

  Hesitantly, she took a slow step forward into the black expanse. Ashes blew up from the ground as her bare foot touched them and swirled around her. It didn’t seem real. Here was her home, brought to dust. She shook her head to hold back the tears that threatened. She had to fix this. She couldn’t leave the hideous wound there. How would she sleep with it lying just feet from her? Already she felt horribly vulnerable; open to the world around her. She wanted the confines of her trees back, shielding her.

  “This is my brilliant luck?” she asked, throwing her hands up.

  Navadar slowly walked towards her to take a place at her side, sending up ashes of his own. His beautiful eyes raked over the landscape before them as he let out a low whistle between his teeth.

  “Lovely,” Kiethara grumbled, a lump in her throat. She turned her back on the burnt trees. It was a relief to see the green, lush life on the other side—it even eased a bit of the pain. Tired, defeated, she walked over to her hammock and sat down, resting her head on the trunk of one of the two trees and closing her eyes.

  “Sit,” she mumbled tiredly to Navadar, who she hadn’t heard move. She didn’t want him standing in the ashes any longer, for some strange reason.

  He sat in the open space. With her eyes closed, Kiethara heard the eerie silence behind her. There were no animals. The ones that used to fill her clearing with their music had moved far away from this area. It made her sad. How long until they would return? How long would it take her to treat the wicked wound? The prospect of restoring the vivid life that had once flourished seemed a mighty task. She didn’t have much magic, or much energy. She felt weak and vulnerable. The forest was weak and vulnerable.

  A spark of fear ignited in her stomach. If she were to be attacked now…Facing Gandador would be facing death itself. She couldn’t imagine what he would do if he saw the forest like this. Smirk? Laugh? He would gloat, he would dance, and he would make it worse.

  No, she couldn’t think like this! She pushed the thought out of her mind.

  “What were you and Aaron talking about while I was in the lake?” she asked in attempt to distract herself.

  “Oh, um…He thanked me for saving you, and…er…I don’t believe he trusts me,” Navadar said in a guilty tone. Kiethara groaned.

  “I figured he’d be a little more affable to you in person. He doesn’t trust you because he thinks you’re in league with Gandador,” she snorted, opening her eyes so she could roll them.

  “What?! That’s ridiculous! I would never do something as…treacherous as that,” Navadar exclaimed. He seemed to take her comment a bit more serious than she had intended this conversation to be.

  “Well, I’m not really sure what Aaron thinks,” she admitted. “He believes you could be...enchanted by him or something. Or if Gandador knew you were welcome here, he would use you, or hurt you…” Kiethara trailed off in horror.

  How could she have not seen it before?! Was she really that blinded by her own wants and desires? She was putting Navadar in danger. Aaron, although his reasons might be different, was right to try to separate the two of them. Had she really expected them to stay together…be friends…under the given circumstances? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if he got hurt because of her. He had saved her life, and all the while she was endangering him. She couldn’t let this last if he was at risk like this. Maybe once before, when she hadn’t had a thing to fear. Now, though…what awful timing.

  “Kiethara? What is it?” he asked worriedly, breaking her dark train of thought. He shook her arm to free her from her suddenly frozen position.

  Her mind returning, Kiethara’s wide navy blue eyes snapped up to his face. His golden skin looked so smooth. His blond hair was a mess on top of his head and his bright green eyes were alluring as they gazed at her in confusion. She was suddenly overwhelmed by an unfamiliar feeling. A feeling that brought a lump to her throat as she considered what she had to tell him. She looked away from him as she spoke.

  “I’m putting you in danger, I realize,” she whispered. “If Gandador found out that you knew me…well, it wouldn’t be good for you. I can’t let that happen. Not on my account. You’re not…safe. Aaron is right. I…I just can’t…”

  The words hurt her more than she thought they would, yet she knew she must be doing the right thing.

  She waited for his reaction. A gasp, an angry exclamation. She had expected him to jump up and accuse her of putting him in danger, to accuse her of not warning him when he first came here of what he was in for.

  She wait
ed, but it did not come.

  Instead, he took her chin in his hand and turned her head so she was forced to meet his eyes.

  “Nonsense,” he murmured, but his voice was firm.

  “Listen to me, please. You have no idea what he is capable of! He will use everything he can to bring the forest down! Including you!” she begged. He needed to listen to her! He still did not release her chin.

  “I can take care of myself,” Navadar told her in a sure tone. It reassured her for a second, but she shook off the feeling. It was only what she wanted to here; it had nothing to do with what she had to do.

  “You can’t fight off my enemies,” she told him softly. “Not if they realize they could use you.”

  “I would die before I let Gandador, or anybody, use me to hurt you,” he growled fiercely.

  “No, you will not. I can’t let that happen. You have a kingdom, a family, and probably many more people who care for you. They will not suffer a loss because of me,” Kiethara growled in return. She wasn’t going to relent.

  “Well, I’m not so sure about that. My father and I aren’t as close as we used to be,” Navadar said, releasing her chin and looking away.

  “Why?” she asked, and then bit her lip. She didn’t want to pry.

  “It’s almost the same between you and Aaron,” he explained. “Aaron doesn’t trust me. You do, which is causing conflict between the two of you.”

  “Right…” she said warily.

  “Well, my father doesn’t trust you. I do,” he continued.

  “Why doesn’t he trust me? He hasn’t even met me!” she said in surprise.

  “It’s not the fact that he hasn’t met you, Kiethara, it’s what you use,” he explained gently. “Redawn doesn’t have a very high opinion of the forest, because we don’t use magic. Call it prejudice, but we don’t like to mingle with people who do. We think they’re dangerous.”

  “I am,” she agreed flatly. She glimpsed at the darkened horizon behind her. Navadar sighed.

  “That’s all nonsense, as I told you,” he said.

  “You do not know that. Gandador will do anything he can. Anything,” Kiethara stressed once again. How many times would she have to say it until he would understand it?

  “You worry too much,” he teased. The tone was too light for the topic of discussion.

  “I worry just enough,” she sniffed.

  “You need to stop worrying about me,” he said.

  “I worry about you to make up for your utter lack of self-preservation,” she snapped.

  “Be that as it may, you’re not going to get rid of me,” he promised. “Don’t hurt yourself trying.”

  “I’m not going to be the one hurt,” she mumbled under her breath.

  “Why don’t we talk about something else?” he suggested.

  She frowned. He was persistent, or foolish. Yet she couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit pleased at his persistence. She honestly didn’t want him to leave.

  “If you’re staying…” she mused, pondering why saying that made her so happy. “Why don’t you tell me about your family? Your mother, perhaps?”

  “My…my mother’s dead, actually,” he admitted awkwardly.

  “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

  “That’s okay. She died when I was young. I don’t remember her too well,” he whispered.

  “I didn’t know my mother either,” she whispered back.

  The silence that followed was not a comfortable one. Kiethara wished she could see his face, but it was turned away. She squirmed in the awkwardness, sorry she brought the subject up. If he hadn’t wanted to leave before, he probably did now.

  She opened her mouth about a dozen times to break the silence, but each time she closed it. What was she supposed to say? Her eyes began to droop as she fought to stay awake. She closed them and leaned her head back against the tree.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, and she opened her eyes again. She wasn’t sure what exactly he was apologizing for. “You must be exhausted. I should go.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she lied, sitting up a little straighter. She smiled.

  “Come off it, you need rest,” he said gently.

  “All right,” she agreed. Her head swam. “Only if you promise to come back soon,”

  Oops. There went her resolve to keeping him safe.

  “I won’t let you down,” he promised with a dazzling smile. He stood up, causing her hammock to rock unsteadily.

  Caught off guard, and dead tired, Kiethara lost her balance with a gasp and toppled off. She landed flat on her back, her breath catching in her throat as pain rippled down her spin. With a gasp, Navadar pulled her to her feet.

  “Blast it, I’m sorry!” he exclaimed. “Are you all right? I shouldn’t have…I mean, that was so foolish…”

  The pain was receding and her head was getting lighter. For some wild reason, she burst into laughter. She started laughing so hard she had to lean into Navadar to prevent herself from falling flat on her butt again.

  ”No, its fine!” she giggled. “I’m fine.”

  She tried to catch her breath as the gasps slowed. Navadar looked rather amused.

  “Sorry,” he repeated, but this time with a smile. He gripped her forearms tight as he set her upright. She smiled up at him.

  “It’s okay, really,” she assured him.

  “Why don’t you get some sleep now?” he suggested, motioning towards her hammock.

  “I will,” she promised. “And so should you.”

  “Would you stop worrying about me?” he asked, exasperated.

  “Nope.”

  “You’re impossible,” he said, shaking his head.

  “It’s getting late, though,” she informed him. They both glanced at the sinking sun.

  “I know,” he sighed. He turned and started to walk towards the south. When he got to the edge of the trees he looked over his shoulder and flashed her a wide smile before disappearing into the trees.

  Without hesitation Kiethara threw herself into her hammock. She had never felt this exhausted in her life. She could practically hear her body sigh in relief as she went limp between the folds of the deliciously soft cotton. Her mind was buzzing with her conversation with Navadar and, even though she would have loved to think things over, sleep gulped her up into its midst.

  Kiethara woke up stiff—very, very stiff. She pulled her face out of the worn cloth and looked around her, squinting as the bright sun flashed in her groggy eyes. It was surprisingly high for the morning…which meant she had slept through the morning entirely. Its angle didn’t make her surroundings any more cheery; in fact, the stretch of black ashes was slightly haunting. She could hardly believe that a few days ago, that area had been full of the lush life of thousands of trees. She couldn’t tell which was worse: A healthy forest without Aaron, or a charred forest with his presence.

  She closed her eyes against the sight and let her head fall back onto her hammock. She was too sore to even consider what had to be done today. Then, as soon as she started considering dropping off again, the air changed with what seemed an intangible shimmer and a chuckle sounded behind her.

  “I’m glad you’re awake,” Aaron said.

  Kiethara lifted her head again and opened her eyes. She was blinded once again by a much more potent light. Even in the state she was in, though, she was ecstatic to see him once more. She smiled—his presence gave her a strength that nothing else could.

  “Just a little longer?” she pleaded.

  “I’m afraid if you sleep any longer, night will fall,” he commented. She moaned.

  “All right, all right…” was her response as she sat up. Her head spun horribly.

  When she finally managed to pull herself to her feet, the two of them headed off to the center of the forest. To her, it was a tender journey. Certain movements aggravated her bumps and bruises, which made her pace slower than usual. She longed to fly and made to do so, when something c
aught her attention. She gasped.

  The crystals of her bracelets were dull. Usually, they always had a faint glow to them, which always intensified when she used her powers. Now, however, they looked dull and cold as rocks. Almost…dead. There was certainly no life, no energy to them that always radiated from the pair. Dark thoughts ran through her mind. Had she broken them, somehow? Had the fire damaged them? Did she even have magic to them? Her heart stuttered.

  Next to her, Aaron laughed at her reaction.

  “What?!” she demanded, holding out her arms in front of her. What could possibly be funny? “What’s wrong with them?”

  “It’s only your reaction, Kiethara. Calm down, relax,” he ordered.

  “What’s wrong with them?” she repeated.

  “You have very little magic to your person right now, that’s all. Once you regain some, they’ll look as they always have.”

  “It doesn’t look as if there’s any left,” she whispered.

  “There is. Trust me—you’ll be able to tell when you have no magic left,” he warned her.

  Needless to say, it was a relief to finally reach the center of the forest. She ran the last painful steps and threw herself bodily into the lake. Her relief intensified as the cool, crisp water engulfed her. Her mind went blank as her body went numb; she sank lazily to the bottom of the lake. She breathed the water easily, imagining it running down her smoked throat. She felt like she had roasted the skin there.

  Enjoyable as it was, she knew Aaron was waiting for her beyond the surface and, as she had just gotten him back, she did not want to anger him further.

  Breaking the surface was not as bad as she had feared. The headache returned, but not at the same magnitude. She clambered out of the water, happy to see a small glow to her crystals once again.

  “I have a job for you,” Aaron said as soon as she stood upright.

  “A job?” she repeated.

  “Yes…”

  Aaron held up his hand and for the first time she realized he was holding something. It was a brown leather bag, seeming to be bulging with something that was emitting a green tinged glow. She took it from him with a look of puzzlement. It was surprisingly light.

  “These are seeds,” Aaron explained. “They are emitting light because they will grow into trees that create magic, as do all of the forest’s trees. In simpler terms, they are pure. With these and only these, you will grow back the trees that have been permanently lost to the blaze.”

  “Oh!” Kiethara said. She understood her job now, and understood it gladly, for it meant she would no longer have to look at that ugly scene.

  “What you are going to do is simple: just place a seed a few inches in the soil, and then use your power to grow the tree.”

  “Like I do any other day? Just…let it come up?” she asked, holding the bag in front of her nose to examine it more closely.

  “Exactly.”

  “So does that mean that the trees I grow don’t create magic like the forest’s trees?”

  “Right you are. When you grow foliage with your powers, using the earth element, it’s only normal. It doesn’t create magic. When you use these seeds, however, it will.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “To create magic something has to be pure. It has to be new, unstained. I’m not saying you’re not good, Kiethara, but you aren’t…pure enough. Nobody ever is, except for their few first days of life,” he told her.

  “Ah…” she agreed, although not fully sure she understood.

  “I know your power is low, so I will help you. We really need the forest healed.”

  “You’ll help me?” Kiethara asked.

  “Of course,” Aaron said easily, a smile in his voice. He held out his hand.

  Kiethara stared at it in disbelief. He must mean something else. She could not recall a time where she had ever touched Aaron. She hadn’t thought it was possible.

  Yet her curiosity was kindled. What would it be like? He seemed to be made up only of light, which she had assumed was magic. Grabbing hold of magic, now that was something…

  “Take my hand,” Aaron said forcefully.

  She took it.

  The sensation was almost impossible to describe. When their hands made contact, Kiethara only felt a faint grip as her hand was enclosed in light. Then suddenly the grip tightened, and something shot up her arm and into her body like a jolt. It was almost like an up-wind; her waist long hair was blown up around her head, her white dress wrapped and flapped around her thin figure, and the bottles in her vine rattled. The crystals in her bracelet glowed as bright as Aaron’s figure and then, suddenly, the grip released.

  “Oh!” Kiethara exclaimed, overwhelmed. She felt strong, full of an energy she could barely contain. She felt as though she was going to burst with power.

  “Get going,” Aaron chuckled.

  Her face splitting into a grin, she blasted off the ground and into the bright blue sky. She cleared the trees in less than a second, and she kept going. It felt so good to release the power! It felt new, thrumming, and powerful. The smile widened as she finally slowed in the warm air.

  But her smile quickly faded as she looked below her at the forest.

  From here, she could see the forest expanding from horizon to horizon’s end. The forest stretched forever—she had never even seen its end. Now, however, the endless green was interrupted by a large blotch of black, which also reached a fair distance. Its size almost knocked her out of the sky, just as the sight of the actual fire almost had. But somehow, the aftermath seemed even worse.

  When her feet landed softly on the burnt ground, ashes flew up. She coughed, igniting the inside of her throat. She was tired of all this burning.

  Scowling, she opened the bag. The light was even greener inside. She reached and fingered a small seed, holding it up to her face, peering at the small thing. It was brown, yet somehow green…With a shrug, she dug a small hole and dropped it into the ground.

  Its light disappeared as she covered it with soil. Frowning in concentration, she put her hand over the spot and released some magic.

  A thick tree shot up out of nowhere, at an alarming speed. She wasn’t expecting it to come so fast—she was thrown bodily back a good few feet, smearing herself in ash as she landed. She got up slowly, dazed. A fully grown tree stood tall and lone before her. How powerful was Aaron’s magic?

  She got to her feet with a sigh and looked at her work. All of a sudden, it hit her how much work she had to do. That tree didn’t take up that much space, and she had a lot of area to cover…

  Why did a forest have to have so many trees?