Freed (Magics AU - Part 2)

Chapter 5 - Falte

Falte had barely slept. He knew that it wasn't humanly possible to not get any sleep in five months, but he was certain that the average amount of sleep he got each night was definitely not enough. It wasn't just the dreadful nightmares littered with his fears and worries that kept him awake - it was those same worries and fears that caused his mind to wonder, sometimes in circles, for hours. There were some nights that he would lay awake, trying to calm himself down from a fearful fit of worry. All of it left him horribly exhausted, but he still couldn't find proper rest.

Though he was utterly drained, Falte's exhaustion didn't affect him the way that it did with normal people. Generally, someone who suffered from lack of sleep was snappy and irritated, and the smallest things annoyed them. Although there were times where Falte would catch himself before he, slightly flustered and annoyed, told the king and queen to be quiet, he would was mostly quiet and tired. His wife had always told him that when he was tired it was easy to tell, because he was distant and silent, zoning out occasionally. 

Ruby and Marcus noticed it as well. Often times they would look at him with concerned looks when he sighed and pushed his glasses to the top of his head to press his hands against his face. Even when he closed his eyes behind his fingers, he could feel them watching him with worried and upset expressions. 

The main things that were keeping Falte awake were these: the tormenting battle that Marcus was straining so hard to win, and the heart-wrenching terror and anxiety for Kai - where he was and what was being done to him. Falte was scared for Marcus, scared for Kai, scared for everyone in the castle. He wanted so badly for everyone to be here again, for everyone to be okay. 

For this to be over.

But every time that hope rose in Falte's mind, Caynen's words came back to him: "We may not make it out of this." That terrified Falte - the thought that the rest of their lives would be spent under the hands of The Dark Lord, the merciless killer that had wiped out the Lights twenty-seven years ago. 

And if there was anyone who knew about the Darks, their leader, and what it was like to fight them, Falte knew that it was Caynen. The Light had fought all throughout the two year war, and though it didn't sound long, it had obviously seemed long for those who had fought in it. Caynen had been a general, and he had battled head-to-head against The Dark Lord many times. If anyone knew The Dark Lord, it was Caynen.

And Caynen had been doubtful that things would work out. 

Which horrified Falte in a way that words couldn't explain. 

Falte often found himself wondering where the others were and if they were okay. He knew that Emily had been taken away without anyone with her, and that fact both angered him and scared him at the same time. But where was Chase and his sister? What about Ozai, who The Dark Lord seemed to loathe horribly, and Nanami? Where were Caynen and Artemis, and was Caynen all right? Was Rachel with Gabriel, wherever he was? How was Aaron faring, especially since he was sick? The thought of losing Aaron to something as simple as being locked in a cell made Falte want to break down and cry, which was an unusual thing for him. Was Amy being held under watch because of how fierce and determined she was? What was happening to Linda, who was a telepath? Where was Shintaro, what was being done to him, was he okay? Was Luke, the newcomer, all right? And Kai. Was Kai okay?

The most upsetting part was that Falte had just reunited with his son, and Kai had been ripped from his grasp again. He could hardly bear it. For years, he had thought his son was dead - when all that time, he'd been captive under a horrible Shadow that treated him like a slave. All that time, Kai had been alive. For what was only a few days, Falte had had his son back. But then he was gone again.