The True Meaning of A Warrior

Chapter Thirteen: Every Truth Told (STELLA)

What had just happened? I had been staring in defeat at the Dark when Zara had somehow opened up the wall. When I glanced back to see where all the Dark were staring hungry-eyed and freaking out at, I'd realized that Zara had opened up the wall.

I made a mental note to ask her later exactly how she'd done that.

But for now, my head was ringing with joyful trills of: We're not dead! I still have all of my guts intact! Good for me! And that reminded me of something Eve would say aloud with her trademark sarcasm. I didn't smile in such a gruesome scene we were stuck in, but a shadow of a grin whisked across my face, quickly, and then was gone.

Zara and her familiar bravery and thirst for adventure. Eve, with her witty sarcasm and remarks. And me...feeling like I'd belonged, for the very first time in my life. And it felt good, like I was actually appreciated...like I was actually part of something.

I didn't want that feeling to end now.

And I wouldn't let it.

Zara, Eve, and I dashed into the new hallway that Zara had opened up, sunken and drenched by shadows. Behind us, I could hear a rustle passing through the Dark, as their warriors regained their senses after a daze of shock and horror.

What's up with this new, creepy hallway?

Why hide it? Is there something inside that we shouldn't know about?

Or...

These thoughts were driven away by more mental screams of "RUN!" as I heard the Dark regaining themselves, and then continuing their chase.

Run, run, run, run, ru-

A bloodcurdling scream split the air. I felt every muscle in my body freeze.

Eve.

The Dark, behind us, began to quiver a little bit, their fixated, twisted faces shuffling nervously.

What is it? Horror spiraling up my chest along with tight suspense, I forced myself to edge forwards and hobbled over to the Eve where she was standing, joining her by her side.

And then I screamed, another chill-triggering shriek that rattled the very air. My lungs felt clogged of air, like I was choking in my shock-it was as if I was having a brain freeze, all of my features suddenly turned off.

I could feel more nervous tremors whisking through the Dark behind us.

No, no, no, no. It can't be...

How can it be?

Lying there on the ground, motionless and helpless...red smearing the inky carpets that we were trodding on down the hallway...cuts and scrapes and gashes littered all over her skin...

Was Edera.

How? How could it be? My eyes felt wrong, heavy, sagging-like something that didn't quite belong to me. Like-like I was staring at an illusion. Edera, the sarcasm. Edera-what had happened?

Each of my emotions were like little bullets of rain, slashing together into an all-out thunderstorm. My heartbeat was like a slow thunderclap in my ears, millions of emotions trickling together into something like a storm. Shock, grief, rage, disbelief, ponders, fears, and sympathy for Edera's family.

My brain stormed ahead.

You are so, so, SO stupid.

Why did you think the Dark would torture just Eve, Zara, and you, while leave everybody else alone? Of course not. Every single person in the Starcatcher and Silverwell family, and possibly now even the Chosen Ones are in danger of the Dark. It's not just us because the three of us are at the front lines against the Dark. To gain information, to steal the weapons, to combat against us, the Dark would have to be fighting all of us. Not just Eve, Zara and I, I chided myself.