The Key to the Warriors (completed)

Chapter 46

46Zyirah

I woke to an empty bed, and immediately sat up, worried. It wasn't like Charlie to get up so early, so I dressed quickly and padded out to the battlefield, where I drew up short.

Charlie stood in the center with his eyes closed, arms held in front of him as though waiting to be handed something. Zak and Lars stood to the side with two men from Lar's army, their expressions wide and waiting as they watched him. Taking a few steps closer, Zak's eyes shot to me, and he pressed a finger to his lips, then motioned for me to stay back.

For several minutes I watched as Charlie's face's curled in discomfort, and his breath caught, then a winded gasped escaped him as he cupped his palms. Frowning, I stared, confused. Suddenly, Charlie's eyes flew open, and he gusted out a surprised chuckle as he looked down into his cupped palms.

"Anything?" Zak called.

Charlie grinned wide, then slowly opened his hands. A huge blue butterfly was nestled within his palms, opening and closing its iridescent wings before quickly taking flight. Still grinning, Charlie closed his eyes and resumed his former position. Smiling, I slid back into the mess hall and to Zirlic's room. My friend still slept, stretched out on his side with his arms wrapped around himself.

Gently, I shook his shoulder, and his eyes flew open with a startle as he sat up. "Zyirah? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "Nothing's wrong. Come see what our Creator is doing."

Though his brows drew in concern, he climbed out of bed, and I left him to dress while I hurried back out to the field. He joined me a moment later, his eyes shielded from the early morning sun as we watched Charlie. He had brought his cupped hands together again, his face calm and focused.

"What is he—?"

"Shh." I held a finger to my lips as Zirlic took a step forward. "Just watch."

A moment later, Charlie released his hands, and not one, but dozens of butterflies flew from his palms to soar around him. There were blue ones and orange ones, red, yellow, and purple, and some that were multicolored. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

"By holy..." Zirlic breathed beside me, and Charlie's eyes raised to us with childlike joy.

"I can do it! I can create! Watch!"

He swirled his hands in front of him as though he were stirring a pot, then thrust his arms upward, and from the ground sprouted a huge sunflower. It grew taller than he was, its bloom broad and glowing yellow to face the rising sun. I gasped in awe as Zak slowly began to clap and made his way toward his brother.

"Pretty impressive, dude. Although we now have a big ass sunflower and a hundred butterflies randomly floating around."

Charlie shook his head. "Not for long. I think I have the hang of it. Step back."

Zak took a few steps backward, then turned to come and stand next to Zirlic and I. Zirlic patted him on the back, then they both stood with their arms crossed as Charlie closed his eyes and fanned his hands out to his sides, palms splayed open. He took a deep breath, then concentrated, and I gasped as a purple glow began radiating out from his hands. It spread throughout the battlefield, encompassing the butterflies and the sunflower until the creations began to glow. Then, bit by bit, they disintegrated into purple sparkles before gathering into one thin stream and flowing into Charlie's head.

He was breathless when the last bit soaked into him, and sank to a crouch to breathe deeply, elbows balanced on his knees. Zak went to him again.

"I think that's enough for today. You're gonna wear yourself out."