The Cinders of Dezu

12th: The View From the Ashes (3)

"Hmm?" Talia said.

"When you lost your family. How old were you?"

"Oh... uh... About 10, I think."

Cairo looked at her.

"How did you manage surviving on your own??"

"I didn't," she said, "I had a lot of help."

Julian snapped his fingers.

"Harper."

"Yeah... and his wife Harbor."

"No way, Harper and Harbor?" said Julian.

"I know," Talia said with a smile, "They were made for each other. He's always too much in his head and she's the one to pull him out of it."

"Where is she?" Cairo asked.

"Oh she's all over. Just like him. And he's nowhere at all. Just like her. She probably built your cabin."

"The one he set us up with?" Cairo said.

"She builds all of them. She's how they can make so many homes for Earth refugees in so many hidden spots. It would probably be nearly impossible without her. She's a powerful telekinetic."

"She builds houses with her mind?" said Cairo.

"And the outhouses and the indoor plumbing in others. The water pumps, the brush clearing..."

"Indoor plumbing?" mumbled Julian.

"How did we not meet her?" said Cairo, "I thought we were in their house when Harper-"

"Kidnapped us?" said Julian

"Rescued us," he said rolling his head back to his friend.

"She was probably in the other room on her cot," she said.

"Cot?" said Cairo.

"She can't walk. Or move much at all, really. At least in the natural way. The king made sure of that."

"Sheesh..." said Julian.

Even from behind him and to the side Julian could see worry wash over Cairo's face. He'd had Raina for a while now. He couldn't imagine what he could have done. Julian gripped his shoulders and gave them a double squeeze.

"It'll be alright, man."

Cairo shook the expression off his face and tried to toss the thoughts away. Talia said nothing. They walked quietly for a while. Julian frowned at the silence.

"So you're power's fire, right? How does that work?"

Talia held out her hand.

"I can generate it," she said as a small flame formed in her palm, "and manipulate it."

The flickering flame became a ring standing vertical in her hand. It rotated slowly and then broke apart becoming like a string. Cairo watched as it wrapped around her palm. Then she rolled her fingers as it slid like a snake between each of them.

"Wow! It's that easy?!" said Cairo.

"With practice, sure."

She flicked her fingers and the line of fire shot towards Cairo. He reacted with a reflexive swipe of his arm. There was a crackling and the flame was gone but his hand was encased in a thick mitten of ice. Talia smiled.

"You'll get there eventually."

Cairo looked at his hand. Julian laughed.

"You gotta figure that out, man."

Cairo tried to shake the lump of ice off.

"He will," Talia said, "It doesn't take long after manifestation. It'll be second nature soon. Like you've been this way your whole life."

"With half the stuff this place has shown us, he's gonna need it!" Julian said, still smiling as Cairo tried to strike his hand against a log they were stepping over.

"Well at least we have you," said Cairo, "You already saved us both and killed that assassin or whatever he was. We'll be alright."

"Psh, I know..." Julian said, "that was crazy! That Firus' guy? I can't believe he got eaten. I've never seen someone die before."

Talia scoffed.

"Okay, first of all, all I said was I'd get you to a safe house before the shadow dogs get you. And second, you still haven't seen someone die. Firas is not dead."

Cairo raised an eyebrow.

"Firus... Firas..? Fir... He's not? We saw him get eaten by that centipede or Mothra baby lookin'-"

"I've seen him survive a lot worse," she said, "He might be a blow hard, but the Nom don't call him 'The Great' for nothing."