The Crystal Mines

4 Nik

I thought that I had already lived through my darkest days. But the truth is, your darkest days are never behind you, but ahead of you. The fight to overcome your own failures and shortcomings is a battle that cannot be won, only walked through. You walk through them the way a soldier walks through a battle. Fighting, yes. But when it is over, and bodies litter the ground, a new battle begins. The battle of the mind. And I was losing. Standing in the middle of the field watching my fears unfold before me, my body unable to react the way my mind wanted to.

The pain was unbearable. Not just the physical either. Who did I think I was, to try to fight something that couldn't be achieved? I looked inward at my pride and scoffed at the girl that thought she could beat her past and future demons. At some point, I heard Callion speaking. The sound of his voice muffled through my bad ear. My eyes were lead and the darkness took hold of me again.

Some time later, I was able to blink my eyes open a little. Callion watched me from the other side of the room, noticing that I was awake, but stayed lounged against the wall. The room was not our usual cell, with brick walls and a solid steel door, save for a small opening at the top. There was a similar window on the wall above me and stars shone through. My body ached, but not as much as my heart. I closed my eyes and let sleep take hold, the fight gone.

"Nik?"

I sighed a great breath of air. Ameer. He had come to visit in my sleep. I couldn't hide my slight sob as I ran to him and let myself fall against his body. He caught me with a sure firmness. It wasn't real, not in a physical sense. Only sensations built within the confines of our mind spaces. We had learned to communicate through our minds months ago, at the university. I missed his scent and the feel of his skin, neither of which my mind could conjure any longer. We pulled away, all too soon. I opened my mouth to apologize, hating myself for making him leave me be. He touched a finger to my lips and shook his head. Then, spun me around to check my body for injuries.

Eyes glowing in fury, he asked, "Who hurt you?"

Exhausted, I sat down between my veins of magic and leaned against his shoulder, his arm pinned to his lap. I told my friend of the events that had led up to the whipping post and ended with waking up for a few moments in solitary with Callion. We had only spoken a few words about the prince since being locked up. I had told him he was in the prison with me and from then on, only a few minutes of updates on my family from him and of my condition from me, could be passed within the time we could manage a connection.

I looked up at him, not lifting my head, and asked about my family, "How are they?"

"They are fine, Nik. You need strength." He searched my eyes with concern. I shot up, regretting the speed, even as we sat in my magic system.

"No." He offered many times to connect to my magic system, like we had a few times before. The first time was euphoric and very difficult to stop. In my state of weakness, I was afraid of not being able to stop at all. Ameer sat up straight and moved his arm to fit behind me, careful of my back.

"I wasn't asking," he growled. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed my golden cord. Power and strength poured into me, and I couldn't help the moan of relief escaping my lips. We sat there for a while, his power seemingly endless, pouring in. And me, drinking it up like I was starving. When he finished, the magic system's veins around me, went from a dull pulse to a steady glowing flow. He cut the connection, as I was unable to. My body felt like it was cooling from the lack of power being poured into it.

"Thank you," I whispered, looking up at him. My head had ended up in his lap during the transfer of power. We still weren't sure how or why it worked, just that it did and that it was not a common thing to be able to do with someone.