The land of the Gods (Complete)

Chapter 23 - Edan

The city was a sea of light and dark.

The moment the world resumed, Magic flooded the streets with his power. The darkness flew outwards in waves, knocking back the rows of guards. In amongst the black were tendrils of smoke, and heat. The occasional burst of an orange flame showed up, threaded through the cold.

The guards were lost in a flurry of cold, and then hot. Flashes of dark, and light. There were screams, there were shouts, and most of all, there was awe. The twins had lunged to the ground when the world resumed, dodging the tendrils of dark and flame. Also dodging the arrows that flew from the sky, aimed at their small group.

The arrows bounced harmlessly off of the dark shields thrown up around them.

Edan was almost losing himself in the heat and flames. They poured off him, his hair singeing at the ends,sweat dripping down his face. His heart thudded loudly in his chest and his throat was turning raw.

Too much.

But there was an anchor in this ever growing heat. A moment of cool. A touch of dark. And Edan knew he had to lunge for it. It was in his left hand, this cool darkness. Gripping him tightly. From the edge of his consciousness, he knew that it was Thaleara, her hand still clasped in his. But the flames didn't, so they pawed at him, urging him to draw from the cool.

The flames grew hotter as he refused.

The darkness is not ours, the flames seemed to say, why not take it?

The flames swirled brighter, deeper, hotter. The cold at his hand grew more tempting.

But then, there was a stab of pain. His flames reared back as the cold which had seemed so desirable before cut into him. This cold was... different. It was earthy, metallic and raw. It was not Thaleara.

It was the ring.

The flames flinched as the ring poured cold into them, shutting out air, and smothering him in darkness. The fire that engulfed him lessened as he focused on the cold, drowning out the heat. He clung to the cutting cold of the ring.

And he pushed through.

The fire went out.

***

"Are they dead?"

Declyn was the first to break the silence.

"I don't think so, just... unconscious." Cara replied to her twin shakily, glancing around the courtyard.

Cara's gaze finally settled on Thaleara across the fountain, and her face softened. There was a moment of silence between the two with unspoken words that Edan didn't understand. But they seemed to come to an agreement, because Thaleara nodded.

Declyn didn't seem to notice the silent conversation, his eyes still flitting about.

Edan also glanced around one final time.

Every single guard was on the floor. Some were in piles, others were strewn about randomly. Each and every one seemed to have a burn on their chest that had shredded through the uniform and all their fingernails had gone black.

The result of his and Thaleara's magic combined.

He stalked over to the closest fallen guard, and crouched beside him, bringing a hand to the pulse point on his neck.

It was faint, but there.

"They'll live," he announced, grimacing at the group. He let his gaze linger on Thaleara for a minute, and she met his eye.

Her iris had returned to it's bright, emerald green colour opposed to the pitch black from earlier. He supposed his eyes had also returned to gold after the red from the flames.

To his surprise, Thaleara smiled at Edan, before holding out a hand and opening her palm.

In it, sat the ring.

"You owe us a lot of money right about now."

Edan couldn't help the surprised laugh that left his mouth at Thaleara's comment, but he quickly composed himself and grinned before responding. "After all that, you still want gold?"

Declyn, on his way to Cara's side, passed Edan's back and slapped his shoulder before saying, 'stupid question, mate."

Cara also smiled softly, ruffling her brother's hair when he reached her.

"You'll get your money," Edan chuckled. "But first I have to ask what you're doing after this. You can't stay here."

Thaleara's smile faltered, and she went back to her normal frown. "No, I guess not."

There was a moment of tense silence, but then Cara cleared her throat and softly asked, "You could come with us?" Thaleara met Cara's eye in obvious disbelief, and spluttered for a few moments.

"I don't want to put you guys in danger, even for just being associated with me," Thaleara said.

Declyn laughed, actually laughed, at that and shook his head as if in disbelief she could think such a thing.

"Please, come with us," Cara insisted, shooting Declyn a glare.

Edan had watched the interaction in silence so far, but curiosity got the better of him. "Where are you going?"

Cara arched a single eyebrow at him and scoffed. Thaleara and Declyn did the same.

"What?" he asked, confused. Why were they all giving him that look?

"As if," Declyn chuckled.

"Not after your little betrayal stunt back there," Cara continued, giving him a pointed look.

He was about to protest until he thought better of it.

"All you need to know is that we won't be in Glenham," Thaleara told him.

Declyn nodded his agreement. "I hear Neodreth has lovely weather this time of year."

***

Three hours later, Edan stood by the docks of Glenham City, watching the boat float away. The goodbye had been quick and quiet.

A handshake from each of them.

But in true Edan fashion, he'd picked their pockets while he'd done it.

From Thaleara, he'd taken the bracelet on her wrist.

From Declyn, a smoke bomb that sat in his left suit pocket.

From Cara, one of the many beautiful daggers that were strapped to her.

Now that the three thieves had fled the City, Edan had nothing to do with himself. He couldn't remember what he had done before he ran into Thaleara, and he didn't want to go back to the boring, action less life he'd had. The mortal plane had no appeal anymore.

It was time to return home. But first, he had two stops to make.