Florian

12. Demien

"She's dead!! She's dead!!" Edrea sobbed. Her screams could be heard through the hallways as she fell to her knees, beginning to smack the ground beneath her. Demien and Samuel stood by the bedroom door as healers tried the best they could to revive Aurora, and others began to sedate Edrea. Khal stepped up to the boys, both only fourteen at the time, tears in his eyes. Before he walked up to Edrea to bring her to their room, he looked at Demien and shook his head.

"None of this is your fault." Khal said softly. Demien stared back at his father, tears rushing down his face. He turned and ran out of the infirmary, pushing past the chaos. Samuel watched his brother run, but didn't leave so he could better help their mother. Guards lined the halls while healers tended to their wounds, others covered up dead bodies. Healers couldn't keep up with all the injured coming in.

The guards usually posted by the doors weren't there, most likely helping where they could. Demien looked ahead of him, dark smoke filled the sky. He ran towards the village, even when he knew he shouldn't. He looked left and right before deciding to make a run for the gates, hearing screaming and yelling, while the rest of the village remained quiet.

That's when he saw her. A young Jax was thrown over a guards shoulder, her hands and ankles tied up  with magic to keep her from fighting back. Her father wasn't too far behind, it took four guards to drag him away, but nonetheless it was done. Demien watched them be taken all the way out into Redwood forest. Further in he could see Excer and Rowan, just freeing themselves of the magic that restrained them. There had to be more than twenty guards out there making sure the culprits and their followers were banished. 

Jax was thrown to the ground, her father immediately running to her side, beginning to undue the magic binding her wrists and ankles together while she cried, cursing at the guards. With guards ready to use their magic, the mages all began to run off. When Jax was able to stand up, she turned back, meeting Demien's eyes. It was a look he never forgot. She looked angry, like he could've done something to help, when in reality anything he would've done in that moment would've made things much worse. He wanted to help, but didn't know how to without destroying the kingdom even further.

He wanted to bring back his sister, make sense of all the chaos. A hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder harshly just as a thousand 'what's ifs' began playing in his mind. Demien turned back to see his mentor at the time, shaking Azrael's hand off of his shoulder.

"Let's go."  Azrael's voice rumbled. Demien turned to him, any expression gone from his face.

"What about them? We aren't going to do-"

"No Demien. We aren't going to do anything. And you wish to know why, right?" Azrael paused, waiting for the obvious answer, though he didn't wait for Demien to respond. Azrael turned, raising a thick brow. His dark tan arms crossed over one another as his muscles tensed. "They chose a path today. And now we're left with the aftermath of that choice. We are only important here when we perform our duties to the crown. And with those mages haven picked to fuck around with dark magic, thus creating this mess, we need to clean it up before more people die, and we somehow get blamed for it all.." Azrael sighed.

Demien knew what he meant. Although it was the fault of inexperienced mages, Edrea would still find a way to blame all who possessed abilities. And although she would still do so, they needed to protect themselves and prove their loyalty to the crown so they'd be able to stay.

Anyone who practiced in the kingdom only wanted what was best for the crown, though loyalty was split this day after Edrea and Khal wasted no time, holding a meeting among the ashes and rubble to exclaim their disappointment in those who had used dark magic to wreak such destruction on their Kingdom. That they served as an example of why magic should be banned. And then, banned magic in the Kingdom that most benefitted from it. Taking it a step further, out of the six active council members, only Azrael was left as he served as a mentor. The others had their titles taken away, and were banned from using magic just as any normal citizen was.

Demien stood by his brother by the entire thing, his hands clenched up into fists. After this day Demien would detach him slightly from his family, creating his habit of going out with the farmers to walk the edge of the river. Many speculated as to why he chose to do so, many believing it was simply to better protect the Kingdom. In reality, he walked the river everyday hoping to see Jax. Azrael followed behind quietly each and everyday, considering it a break from the days duties.

A few months after the attack, Demien had gotten the hang of walking the rivers edge, knowing where almost every rock and boulder were, which ones were covered in moss and where the water was knee deep or shallow puddles. One day, Azrael waited for him near a tree he'd always stop at. Demien would lean against it and stare off into the forest, except this day, as Azrael was blocking his line of sight.

"Give me a non cliche reason as to why you wait for her everyday." Azrael said, flatly. Demien just looked at him and crossed him arms over his chest. A breeze blew by in that moment, barely touching Azraels tightly coiled and packed hair. Demien brushed a curl out of his face and sighed.

"She'd do the same for me-"

"The guards have been ordered to kill her, her father, Rowan and Excer on sight. She'd be risking her life coming back here when she hasn't mastered her abilities." Azrael looked up at Demien who was growing more angry by the second. "I believe she'd rather keep herself safe than have you watch her get killed, or risk you attacking your own people just for her-"

"You don't know her!" He yelled. Azrael calmly raised the palm of his hand towards Demien and nodded.

"I know I don't. Which is why I could be wrong... Which is why I believe you should go find her, before she may make the stupid decision to come back and get herself killed. Find her, get answers. Make sure she's okay, and not getting involved with the magic they used the day of the attack." Demiens expression changed. He became thoughtful for a moment before slowly shook his head. "She isn't stupid Demien. She isn't coming back."

"They'd notice I was gone. I couldn't leave without Edrea and Khal thinking I've run away." He replied. Azrael nodded.

"Well... I've already asked permission for us both to leave Aurora on a week long 'retreat' to 'better your abilities'." Azrael began with a calm and reassuring demeanor. "We leave tomorrow."