“It was frightening, Mikel,” Eli said. “The amount of power he was able to contain, even if only for a short time. I’m not without a considerable amount of strength myself, and I was awed by his control. The book nearly killed Juana.” Eli’s expression saddened. “It took both of us to sever the bond from her, but as soon as Zar’Asur opened the book, our efforts vanished.”
“Will he survive?” Cyrus’s small voice startled all of them. They hadn’t noticed him emerge from the kitchen. They had been speaking English, so he didn’t understand their conversation, but it was apparent that he must have seen Darian carried into Magdelin’s room.
Mikel’s eyes softened as he replied in Hungarian, “I hope so. Zar’Asur escaped the castle, which means this fight is not over yet. We will need his strength in order to defeat this evil.”
“Did the other slaves escape?” Cyrus asked hopefully.
“Yes, we told them to leave before the castle was destroyed. They should have had time to make it out,” Raphael replied. There was hope in his eyes—hope that what he was saying was true.
Magdelin emerged from her room about half an hour later, exhausted but smiling. She saw Cyrus sitting on the floor next to Raphael’s chair, and her smile widened.
“He’s sleeping, but he will be okay when he wakes up,” she said. “I’m going to check on Juana now.”
Eli stopped her. “I just did, and she’s still sleeping. You need to rest just as much as they do. Now sit down and let me get you something to eat.”
Chapter 15
Zar’Asur was at the Citadel, furious about being reprimanded. His punishment was very severe, his mind and body still in pain from the torture. His master seemed to be angrier over his disobedience than over the destruction of the castle, which included the loss of the dreadlords he had summoned. They would’ve been glorious in battle with the amount of destruction they could cause. Now he wouldn’t have the pleasure of witnessing it.
His master had told him of the explosion that destroyed the castle, during his torture. The humans didn’t have explosives capable of that type of destruction, so how did the Council manage it? Zar’Asur knew of no one with the power capable of such of feat, or did he? The book had nearly killed Juana; it would have if Eli had not been with her. Only this newest enemy was strong enough to withstand the book’s power. His master informed him the man’s name was Darian. He was still angry over Darian’s rejection. They could accomplish so much with their combined strength, but that wasn’t part of the master’s plan, and he could not deny his master. So, he sat in his study at the Citadel, skulking.
The Citadel was an enormous tower located in a desolate area of Canada, just north of the American border. It was built centuries ago, made from a strange stone and metal that, when forged together, drew the light from everything around it. The tower had no windows or visible doors. The only entrance was hidden on the north side. The door was made of the same material as the tower itself, making it undetectable to the naked eye. The Citadel was empty now, with the exception of Zar’Asur. He preferred it that way. It gave him the opportunity to think without being interrupted by the needs of others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I awoke in Magdelin’s house yet again, but this time I was not in the narrow bed with the light sheet. I was fairly certain I was in Magdelin’s room. My head throbbed and my body felt like it was on fire. I struggled to remember what had reduced me to this condition, but my head hurt thinking about it. I attempted to open my eyes, and the pulsing in my head overwhelmed me. I rolled over, trying to sit up, and nausea forced me to lie back down with a groan. I heard soft footsteps enter the room and approach the bed. A small cool hand touched my forehead briefly, then I heard a light splashing of water. A cold towel was laid across my head, bringing instant relief. I tried to open my eyes again but couldn’t without being assaulted by pain and nausea.
“Be still, Darian,” Magdelin said softly. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but my tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of my mouth. I tried licking my lips, but there was no moisture there either. Magdelin must have realized my discomfort because her hand lifted my head, and she held a cup of water to my lips. I took a small sip, and the water burned my throat, causing me to cough. She waited for me to finish then tried again. This time several swallows managed to get down before she laid my head back on the pillow.
“What happened?” My voice grated through my throat, causing it to burn again.
“You don’t remember?” she asked and I shook my head. “According to Eli, Juana, and Raphael, you somehow used the power from the book to destroy the castle and everything in it.”
I remembered none of it; my last memory was standing in the grove of pines with Mikel and Adalina. I squinted my eyes, trying to recall what had happened, but the effort made my head throb again. What was wrong with my eyes that I could not open them? They hurt more than anything else.
“Water?” I barely croaked, needing to ask more questions. She lifted my head again and gave me more water. I brought my hands to the cup and held it on my own, taking several swallows as I ignored the pain in my throat.
“Take it slow, Darian,” she warned. “The inside of your throat was burned. It will take time for it to heal. I know you have many questions, but you should avoid talking.”
“Why can’t I open my eyes without feeling like my head will explode?” I asked, my voice still grating.
“I have not tried to look at them,” she replied. “But when I focus on healing them, it appears they also suffered from the power that consumed you.”
“And the rest of my body?” I asked as I felt my bare chest and arms. They didn’t feel bandaged or burned.
“It appears that the heat only damaged your eyes and your throat, but both should heal completely with time.”
I let out a deep breath, the air passing through my lips feeling hot and dry. “How long will it take for my eyes to heal? I cannot imagine functioning without them.” Frustration seeped into my voice.
“You should be able to open them within a few hours,” she replied. “I’ve managed to reverse most of the damage, and as your temperature continues to drop, your body will heal even faster.”
“Then let’s go to the fountain so I can cool more quickly,” I said as I attempted to sit up again. Nausea assaulted me once more, but I was determined to push past it. When I was in a sitting position I paused, feeling sweat break out on my brow.
“This is a very bad idea, Darian,” Magdelin said, but she didn’t try to stop me.
“Probably,” I grunted as I slid my feet to the floor. I leaned against the bed for several minutes, waiting for the nausea to subside. “Please lead me to the fountain,” I said and held out my hand. She placed her small hand in mine and waited for me to take a step, each step after that bringing on more nausea. When we reached the door, I leaned against the frame, panting.
“Cyrus, bring some water with us,” Magdelin said, and I heard Cyrus’s small feet patter into the kitchen. I struggled to open my eyes, frustrated that I could not see, but the pain from it caused me to sway. Magdelin held my arm, giving me support to keep my balance.
“Would it be easier for you if we covered your eyes?” she asked. I shook my head in denial. As soon as I could open them, I wanted to be able to see those around me, not a piece of cloth.
We slowly made our way out of her house and towards the fountain. Cyrus’s hand would occasionally catch my elbow as I struggled not to trip over every small stone I passed. It felt like it took hours to get there, but I imagine it wasn’t more than ten minutes before Magdelin steered me around the stone benches and helped me step into the pool. Its’ cool water felt marvelous as I lowered myself into it. I sat there for several minutes before Cyrus maneuvered the cup of water into my hands, then I felt Magdelin place her hands on the sides of my face. I emptied the cup of water as she pressed her healing into my eyes. I could feel the heat
slowly retreating, causing me to relax and almost fall asleep.
“Try to open your eyes.” Her voice brought me out of my daze. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling them burn as I did. The throbbing in my head was still there, but had receded to a dull ache. Magdelin was looking at me with a worried expression, which caused a wrinkle to form between her eyes.
“I believe I see a wrinkle on your delicate face,” I said with a smile.
She raised her hand to smack my face, but I caught it in mine. “Thank you for being such an incredible healer and a marvelous friend.” I kissed her hand, and she smiled back at me.
“Do your eyes still hurt?” she asked.
“They burn, but nothing like they did before,” I replied as I attempted to stand. I swayed and reached out to steady myself against the ugly statue of the man in the pool. I looked up at it then turned towards Magdelin. “Who is this supposed to be?” I gestured towards the statue.
She laughed. “That’s supposed to be Mikel,” she replied.
I looked at the statue’s face, trying to see a resemblance. “No, it isn’t. There’s no way someone thought that looked like Mikel.”
“We joked about it when it was first made,” she said with a laugh. “Mikel used to get offended by it, but now he laughs with everyone else. We’ve suggested having it replaced, but he insists that it’s as much a part of Santuario as everyone else, so we keep it.”
I smiled at the sentiment. “Help me get out of Mikel’s pool so I can find some dry clothes.” Cyrus jumped to my side, and I looked down at him and smiled. “You haven’t been playing nursemaid for me, have you?”
He blushed and nodded. “We’ve been worried about you. I’ve been helping Magdelin, and she’s been helping me practice English,” he said with pride. “English is hard, there are too many words that mean the same thing.”
I laughed but agreed with him, “I have no doubt that you’ll have it mastered soon enough. What happened to learning French first?”
“I decided English would be better since it’s the most common language spoken here at Santuario, and I would be able to get the most practice.” He grinned.
Magdelin left Cyrus and me at the barracks so I could find a change of clothes. I was certain she was on her way to see Mikel and Raphael to let them know I was up and moving. After I dressed, Cyrus cleared his throat, and I looked his way.
“You should look in the mirror before you meet with anyone else,” he suggested in a small voice. I could tell it was something he didn’t want to bring up, so I pulled the small saucer-sized mirror from my dresser and looked at myself. I was startled by the burning red eyes staring back at me. The blue eyes that were normally there were gone. I stared at myself in horror for several minutes with my mind totally blank, then it went into overdrive. Would they stay that way, or would they fade over time? God, I hoped I would not be stuck with them for the rest of my life. No one would be able to look at me without fear, and I couldn’t blame them. Should I cover them now before I left and let Cyrus lead me to the tower? I looked down to see him with a small sad smile.
“I know it’s still you,” he said, “but the others may not.” I nodded in understanding and disappointment.
“I’ll look at the ground the entire way to the tower,” I said. “Hopefully I won’t meet anyone along the way.”
We walked out of the barracks and towards the tower. Luckily, all the warriors were in the arena training, so we didn’t meet anyone as we crossed the courtyard. When we got to the tower, I looked down at Cyrus.
“I don’t think you’re ready for these meetings yet,” I said. “But I promise one day you will be.” Disappointment covered his features, and I knelt in front of him. “You and I have a great deal to discuss. Raphael believes we have several things in common.” I winked at him, making him smile.
I entered the tower and went straight to Mikel’s office. When I opened the door, everyone looked up and silence filled the room. Raphael, Adalina, Eli and Juana sat in the chairs facing Mikel’s desk, while Magdelin stood next to his desk with her hands still in the air. She dropped them when she saw me. I looked at the rest of them and they stared at me with a mixture of fear and sadness.
“Can we get all the questions out of the way first?” I asked no one in particular.
I tensed as Mikel stood and walked towards me, noticing that his hands were balled into fists at his sides. He looked at me intently, staring at my eyes as if he could see through me.
“He is not possessed,” he said as he turned towards the group. I rolled my eyes, realizing too late that it made me look even worse. Juana flinched and Eli rested his hand on hers. Mikel turned back to me. “Do you remember anything about your encounter with the book?”
I lowered my head and relaxed a little, wishing that I did. “No, the last thing I remember is standing in the grove of pines with you.”
“Please sit down, Darian. We have much to discuss,” Mikel said. He looked at Magdelin. “You too.”
Magdelin and I sat next to each other in the two remaining chairs. Mikel dropped down into this own chair, looking exhausted.
“I was hoping that you remembered what happened, Darian,” he said with disappointment. “It’s obvious that Zar’Asur was still at the castle when you went in, but I’m confused why he left. And why did he subject you to all that power? Did he do it on purpose, knowing you would destroy the castle?” He looked at me with apprehension. “I won’t mince words here. It also crossed my mind that he tried to convince you to join him by giving you the power to destroy us.”
His words hurt, but I understood his concerns. I lowered my head into my hands, wondering why I could not remember what happened. Did Zar’Asur do something that removed my memories of the event?
“I’m sorry that I don’t remember. I wish that I could understand what happened and provide an explanation for what he did, but I don’t.” I looked at Magdelin. “How long will my eyes look like this?” I asked as I pulled my hands from my face.
“I wish I knew,” she replied. “We’ve never encountered this before, and I don’t entirely understand what caused it. I hope it will fade quickly, but I honestly don’t know.”
“I think you’ll be more comfortable talking without me here,” I said. “And I really need to release some frustration. I won’t do anything stupid or leave Santuario. I’ll just be running around the crater.” I couldn’t hide the bitterness in my voice, so I stood and left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The tension in the room eased considerably once Darian was gone.
“We need to help him,” Adalina said. “If he’s not possessed then he’s still the man we have grown to trust. We cannot make him feel isolated.”
“I agree, Adalina,” Mikel said. “But I cannot send him out into the human population looking like he does right now.”
“Why not?” she demanded. “We use him to sneak around unseen, locating demons for us. His ability to conceal himself will keep him safe.”
“And you believe that’s what he wants?” Eli asked. “I wouldn’t want to be invisible to everyone around me. I believe that will create the isolation you’re trying to avoid.”
Adalina huffed but realized he was right.
“I think we need to wait and see if his eyes fade to normal. It will also give his mind time to think about what happened,” Raphael suggested. “He won’t sit idle waiting for something to happen. I believe he will continue to push his mind. Maybe we should share with him what we saw when we met him in the castle’s kitchen. It might help him remember.”
“I think we should just give him space,” Juana said.
Chapter 16
I left the tower and sprinted towards the gates, shedding my shirt along the way. My anger and confusion consumed my thoughts as I ran. Part of me wished I had stayed in Hohenlinden months ago, ignoring Raphael and dying with my countrymen. The rational part of me argued that I was clearly destined for more than a soldier’s death. My emotional half maintain
ed that my life may have been shorter, but at least it was my own, to which my rational side had no counterargument. What was happening to me now? Was it something that Zar’Asur had done, or was it another ability that lay dormant until it was triggered by some bizarre event? I slowed from a sprint to a comfortable jog after the first lap as bits and pieces of my conversation with Zar’Asur flashed in my mind.
I can give you power and wealth beyond your wildest imagination. There is so much we could accomplish together. Zar’Asur’s voice echoed in my head as I passed by the gates again.
You only seek death and destruction…my own voice echoed back.
Then it will sadden me to have to destroy you. So much power should not be wasted, but I can’t allow you to fight against me.
I was halfway around again when I fell to my knees in pain as I remembered Zar’Asur opening the book and my barrier slowly collapsing.
You disobey my command to leave so that you can toy with this insignificant creature!
A harsh new voice echoed in my mind. Who was that? Obviously, someone who disapproved of Zar’Asur wasting time on me. Zar’Asur was supposed to be gone already, which meant that we would have been destroyed by the huge demons in the castle’s courtyard. The memories started flooding back—meeting Raphael in the kitchen, releasing Eli and Juana from the dungeon cell, their look of fear when they saw me melt the door, not recognizing my own voice as I told them to save the others…I lowered my head as I tried to understand what I was turning into. Zar’Asur’s delay had given me the power to destroy the demons, but I had no desire to wield that power—not when I didn’t know how it would change me. I chuckled softly, imagining his master’s displeasure. I could still hear the anger in his harsh voice.
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