EMBER

TIDES

He left me there. On the grassy floor feeling cold all over, broken in every sense and yet somehow quite more. In control.

I didn't mind where Shen and Artemis where taking me. They couldn't understand what I was feeling as I couldn't understand my feelings myself. I can't exactly say feeling though. I could tell they were furious but I couldn't feel much.

Jake went ahead a few minutes to probably seek out Thoren. They stop outside my designated room.
"I don't want to sleep in there"
My monotone voice sounds so odd even in thought. Temi shakes her head and motions Shen to follow probably to her room.

A stabbing pain resonates through my heart as my body erupts in flames an involuntarily scream ripping from the depths of my soul.

Shen puts me down hurriedly but gently as I burn him. Temi is in the same pain. I have an urgency to find him as I feel him slipping further from me. I can't reach him.

I force myself to my feet with Temi and we stumble to go to Jake.

Thoren has his hand around his neck his other hand burying a dagger deep in my brother's heart. I ignore the pain resonating through my body and start running to close the space between us. I can heal him. He will be okay.

I don't care who is watching. I don't even care about Thoren at the moment. I simply must get to him and make him better. He can't leave me.

I stumble but I keep running as Thoren let's go of him and jumps into an open portal behind him and I briefly see laden before it closes.

I reach him and put my hands over his chest to stop the bleeding as Temi tries to pull out the dagger. It won't budge. I try healing him but he just continuously bleeds out. Already dead before he hit the cold floor.

His eyes closed and his skin already pale. I cradle his head and scream the last shred of humanity out of me. Temi holds my hand and Jake's as her portal swallows us.

"We love you so much, whether we forget, where ever we'll be, no amount of time can change that. We love you always with what fundamentally makes us who we are."
I said that without truly knowing that he was a part of what fundamentally made up my humanity. Who I was.

I don't know what to feel anymore. My brother is dead. And I blame myself. I should have seen it coming. I know I should have.

I should have known he was a bad person. I should have recognized the spells cast to get close to me. I should have protected him instead of messing around. We are at war and I shared a bed with an enemy. Am stupid even if I don't quite feel it.

Maeve managed to take the dagger out of him. I look at his cherubic face. He looks like he is in a deep sleep. At least I can trust his body to her. The pod will preserve his body.

I vow to end with this useless fighting for him. I ball my fingers into fists. His death won't be in vain. I'll make sure of that.

"Your order is complete."
About time. I kiss the pod and take one last look at my sleeping brother burning his pale face in my mind to never forget the consequences of my actions. He shall never smile again because of me.

I turn around and the girl bows her head fearfully as I pass by her barely sparing her a glance and teleport back into my room.

The clothes are laid out for me. I requested for the toughest gear made of reinforced fabrics and materials. Something my energy won't burn through. After all, I feel like am going on a rampage.
The reinforced magically strengthened dyneema gear should suffice.

I strip off the black dress and make my way to the bathroom making short work of cleaning Jake's caked blood off me.

The soft grass beneath my feet is comforting. The petal bed bounces as I sit down. I quickly dry myself and put on my undergarments. The thin silk top and pants woven specifically to cancel out the coarse  friction of the dyneema to make it more comfortable.

I look at myself in the grown out mirror on the dresser and it's a perfect fit. The pants have many pockets too which pleases me and the jacket has a back strap for my sword.

Something is still wrong though. I finger my damp waist long tresses that turned Syra red. They are so dark. I grab scissors and stay trimming them. I don't stop until the locks barely graze my shoulder. It looks shaggy but I don't mind. I like it. I comb through it parting it in the middle. I put on my dyneema boots after I wear my stockings. I take one look at my bedroom and exit. I don't feel anything as expected. No longing. He broke so much more but atleast am in full control.

As am about to start climbing down the stairs Temi exits her room wearing the same reinforced dyneema gear I requested for her in black. Her hair is in a pony tail. She walks up to me and runs her hands through my short hair.

She looks deep into my eyes for a while as if searching for something and then gives me a curt nod as she retracts her hand from my head placing it in mine.

We reach the bottom of the steps where Maeve is waiting in her disguise. Most of everyone is keeping their distance fearfully and respectfully. I don't blame them, I feel like I could waste the planet in an instant.

She holds our free hands staring from one to the other.
"I will take care of him. He is in the best care."
She embraces both of us her green hair tickling my nose as I put my hand around her small frame. She is in pain too.

"Be safe and come back to me. I won't take anymore loss."
She sniffles. She let's go of us and Temi holds my hand creating a portal back to the Goddess's domain.

We step into the calm morning. It is too calm though. There isn't even a single noise and no one in sight.

"Come with me. I have been waiting."
A calm decadent voice sounds behind us. She leads us to the side of the castle her movements urgent to the tree where she was conducting lessons first time we met.

Every person present is seated around it chanting something. I spot Shen, Emmeline and Karim geared up in reinforced  dyneema battle ready. It's good to see Maeve this efficient for once.

Karim seems different somehow as we get closer. His quiver is already strapped to his back, one hand holding his blue bow the other is cradling a sword. It is not mine and Shen is holding Temi and Jake's artillery.

"Your Aunt told me. She sent some gear too."
I have a lot of questions. And she is going to goddamn answer every single one.

"Did you know? Thoren..... How did he get past your defenses?"
I can't even phrase well. My pain atleast I have traces of it is too raw.

"Nyx's handy work. He was cloaked. He managed to get away after disabling all my magic from inside. We are under attack and you have to leave. Now."
She whirls around to look at me after she takes the sword Karim is cradling.

"Take this. Your mother's sword won't be much productive after all it was a prototype."
She thrusts it at me. I take it.
I unsheath it it's handle the exact fit in my hand. I raise it and watch it catch the glimmer of the sun as it nicks my index creating a bond with me casting a soft blue light.

It is double edged with a hilt that is shaped like angel wings which mold over my hand for a firmer grip. The edges are serrated near the helm. It is lethal and I love it.
I sheath it back again.

"Where is the other sword?" I strap the new one to my back. She is mine and she is Syra, harbinger of death and destruction.

Temi straps both bows Shen hands her to her hip and quivers to her shoulders. Hecate hands her a quiver full of black crystal arrows. She then waves her hand and they disappear.

" The sword and the quiver, plus other presents I left you, ...well you have an inkling where they are." She turns around to look at the kids.
"Artemis, you will always know how to find me."
She turns back again smiling at us. She waves her hand again and we are swallowed by a black mist as her coruscating eyes disappear.

We are back to the green tents where I first woke up. But it seems all hell has broken loose.