Blood of Water and Light

𝕋𝕖𝕟: 𝕊𝕒𝕞

We trained the next week as Achleios had promised we would. Now the four of us were preparing for the mission. Winston had stayed back to perfect his abilities in both training and chemistry. Achelios said he wouldn't be needed for this mission right away. Whatever that meant.

Cyra's eyes were sunken and it made her look almost skeletal despite her roundness. She seemed a bit thinner as well from all the vigorous training. I knew she probably hadn't been sleeping much after everything. Sleeping seemed like a feat of impossible after being here. 

I worried about my family and siblings. I imagined the missing posters with my face printed onto each one. My mother sobbing as her oldest child vanished with no signs to where. The idea haunted me and had also kept me awake. 

I finished tying a pack to my horse as best as I could do when gentle scarred hands moved mine away. 

"That's no way to tie this" Abby said.

She redid the knots showing me how to do it in a more proper way. I tried to remember all the steps, but already I forgot a few of them. 

"Thank you" I said.

"No problem Sam" she smiled.

I climbed up and sat my back against the thick pack. I had a few knives attached to me and a small sword on the saddle. 

Cyra was already up on her horse patting its neck. Her horse was one of the strange ones with a horn and white patching. It's mane a colorful mixture of greens and blues. It made Cyra's hair nearly glow against it. 

We traveled in pairs I stayed by Abigail though my gaze often stayed near Cyra. I felt an obligation to protect her I realized. Not because I loved her or had a crush, but because of her brother. That and she was still a nice girl more or less. The kiss had felt so odd before but now I felt like maybe it was just that a small kiss.

"She's fine she could probably kill double what any of us can in one wave of her hands" Abby said from my side.

"I know but still" I said.

"She isn't a little girl who needs protecting isn't that right Cyra?" Abigail said.

"uhm no of course not" Cyra said.

If anyone needed protecting it was probably me out of all these people. I had no powers to save me nor any skills other then basic survival. Those usually pertained to earth though. 

*   *   *

We built a fire just as darkness fell around us. I was using my bag as a pillow. It had a lot of clothes and provided little comfort.

Cyra had set up camp near me. She had plopped down only taking out her canteen. Abby was on my other side and Achelios was across the fire from me.

He'd traded his long black coats for shorter ones to blend in more. He wanted to stay hidden from prying eyes. Him and Cyra were engaged in a conversation which nearly startled me that she was speaking to someone else. She seemed to be speaking freely and weirder Achelios looked like a normal young adult. 

Abby sat next to me in the grass. She was carving a piece of wood with a small knife. 

"What were you doing at the other kingdom and how do you know him?" I asked at last.

"I was spying and as for Achelios well I am his sister but people don't know me much since I'm second born" she said.

"Really?" I asked.

It explained her tenderness from the training arena at the other kingdom of Nigra. She was not a warrior entirely. She was royalty and that only meant any idea of liking her flung out the window. 

"Yes and well Achelios is the brains so he rarely does such things" she said.

"The thing we're after?" I asked.

"They give power to the ones who hold them with abilities nobody has ever found it, Cyra is not like the rest though she could change the world with it the weather maybe even. My brother is obsessed with the idea she would clear our world of the dark horrible things and monsters" she said.

"Monsters the shadows?" I asked. 

"My brother clearly struggles to get his ideas out" she said looking at him.

He was showing Cyra something on paper. Their heads nearly touching his hair dark against her deep red. She pointed to something and the corner of his mouth lifted as he smiled. 

"Anyways the object is a sword and  I think that Nigra will be after them to since they lost her they will go to stop her from getting it, they created the monsters that come out at night they are made of shadow and stone".

"I have so many questions but perhaps they are better for tomorrows brain" I said which made her chuckle.

"Well in that case rest well" she said getting up and moving back to her spot. 

I leaned back and gazed at the starry skies above. Exhaustion lived inside to my very bones and before I could think more I fell asleep.