Sword & Succession - A Darklina AU Fanfic

Chapter 6

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ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕠𝕧

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The air summoned by the Squallers gave me goosebumps and I was suddenly thankful for the warmth of my kefta. The Fold loomed above the three skiffs sailing over the rough, sandy sea, coming closer and closer. I could feel the familiar power of the darkness.

My father had created the Fold. The same shadows that made it up were inside of me too, and as the Grisha say, 'Like calls to like'.

Beside me, my father stood tall. Radiating strength and might. I wished I had his surety as the front of the skiff touched the edge of the Fold. My fingers picked at the sleeve of my kefta and my teeth bit at my lip so hard I was afraid it'd start to bleed.

The wind, caused by the skiff's fast, swift movement, sent my dark locks flying in all directions. I blinked a few strands of hair from my eyes. "Don't worry." The General's voice broke the dead silence that'd befallen the Grisha. 

I looked upwards at him. I was tall for my age, but he was taller. "I will be there. You won't be doing this on your own." His words were meant to comfort me, but my heart was racing too fast to slow down now.

The silence continued as the bow of the ship disappeared into the darkness. I turned around in my boots, staring back at the half-empty Grisha camp. Somewhere in there, my mum and Mal were probably still in chains, waiting for something to happen or some scrap of information to come their way.

I tried imagining what might've happened if I had summoned the courage to visit them. To tell them that I knew everything about my father. To explain the General's offer and how I was sick and tired of running and hiding. Because that was all I had ever done... But not anymore.

They would've tried to stop me, to tell me things I couldn't be sure were true or that I wanted to hear. The General was offering the answers to the question that had been burning in my chest for years. Who and what am I? 

I reminded myself of that as the shadows overcame me and all rays of sunlight vanished. 

I had thought the Fold was scary from the outside, but inside... It was like drowning far out at sea at midnight, only there was no moon to light the sky. The only form of light came from a specially designed lantern with a blue flame inside. 

Everyone was silent, but the cries of distant Volcra echoed in the distance, a reminder of what was really out there although we could not see it. My heart pounded in my chest and my blood roared in my ears.

I looked around, but could hardly see anything in the dim light of the lantern hanging from the skiff's mast. I waited frightenedly for the General's signal. For him to grab my hand and amplify my powers enough to light up the Fold and protect us from the monsters lurking within.

The volcras' gurgling shrieks were coming closer, growing louder. We needed to light the skiffs. "General-"

"Wait." He whispered beside me, the pale blue light turning his hair silver. The creatures were so close now that I could hear the thump of their wings beating against the still air. I panicked and my instincts demanded me to raise my hands to defend myself, but he grabbed my sleeve and held it down. "Wait..."