The Chronicles of Zestra

Chapter 7: Airship Arabelle

One year had passed since the Amattacked us, and me and Cynth had been training with mom to learn swordsmanship and magic fundamentals of many elements. Grandma gave me many of her cooking recipes and gave me lessons on how to cook. One day, I asked dad if he remembered how his old shield looked and if we brought it with us to Kiesys. He thinks for a second before getting up and walking to his room, where he rummages around trying to find it. I walk into the room as he pulls it out from underneath some blankets, and he grabs it and hands it to me, and I thank him.

His great shield is fairly heavy as it’s made of dark wood and blackened steel covering the front. It has the Zestrika Militia Crest of the white and gold dragon on the front with a gold C underneath it and an engraved message in the back that was carved into the wood. I looked at him, and he smiled.

“Read it, Cain. It was an engraving I carved when you were born.”
I looked back at the shield and noticed the engraving closer and began reading it.

To my son, Cain. 

For when I am gone, may no danger ever pierce this shield, and may you feel the protection and care that you’ve felt with us for many years to come.

I love you, Cain.
Dad.

I began to tear up at the implication that it was for when he died, and I began to cry. Dad opened his hands, and I jumped into him to get a hug. He hugged me so tight, and I never wanted to let go. Mom came into the room as well, and she hugged us, too. It felt like forever, but at the same time, it felt like nothing at all when we all let go of each other before dad began explaining.

“Dr. Falco had done all that he could to heal my body, and the treatments have been successful, but… I am dead, or more accurately, my body is dying. I should not have lived that battle, but the crystal that Cynth hid in my pockets had shattered and began forming in my chest, allowing me to stay alive for as long as I am being healed for.”

I gasped at this and couldn’t believe it. He noticed my disbelief and began taking off his shirt. I look to see the scar, and my eyes widen. The scar is still slightly open with some tissue and bone still visible, but there is also something else inside that’s glowing. It's a crystal pulsing green like a heartbeat, and it’s fades in and out with each heartbeat.

“I didn’t want to say anything, but as Nikolai will be coming today to take you two to Alkeli Island, I thought it would be time to tell you.”

I looked at mom and asked her “Did you know about this too?”

“Yes, I did, Cain.” She looked down when she said yes, then continued. “We wanted to see if the treatment would get better, but it hadn’t been any more successful than just giving the crystal more of a charge before dying out.”

I ask them “How long do you think you have left until the charge runs out?”

They both look at each other before mom speaks. “We aren’t sure. Healing crystals shattered don’t last more than an hour before dissipating, but since we have been healing him, it’s been recharging any lost health back into the crystal. Dr. Falco theorizes that it won't be long before the crystal begins to break and stop healing.”

I am in shock at this, and I couldn’t process it at all. I didn’t want to believe this, to believe that my dad would die once I left, that I won’t be able to see him anymore. I couldn’t fathom any of this being true, and I began pacing back and forth, racking my brain over all of this.
“I am dreaming. Yeah, that’s it. This all must be a dream, right? We are still back in Zestrika, farming our carrots and lettuce, waiting for Cynth to show up again for another day of challenges, and I am about to wake up.” I pinch myself and close my eyes tightly.

I feel the pain, and I feel a headache coming along with each second passed with my eyes shut tight. Then, a knock at the door rang through the house, and my eyes opened wide, hoping to see the cabin back home, but no.

Mom begins to walk towards the front door, and Cynth runs from the room, yelling out loud, “They’re here. They’re finally here! I’ve been waiting forever for them to get here!”

“Now, now Cynth, calm down. They just got here, so let us let them in first.” Mom said with a faint smile.

Cynth settles down, and Dad and I walk out of the room as mom opens the door. Grandma and Grandpa walk from the kitchen as the door opens, and Nikolai stands at the door, accompanied by two of the robot guards we saw last year.
Nikolai bows slightly, and we bow as well before Nikolai begins to speak.
“Good afternoon, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Lilia?”

My mom nods and looks at the three at the door before waving her hand inside to allow them to come in. “It has been a while, Nikolai. Armin has been healing well, but please, come in.

“No, I can’t come in. I have a few things left to do with more political issues, but I am here to take Cain and Cynth to the Air Base at Ciol to take them to Alkeli Island. I have other trainees to bring along as well, so I can’t come in today, but thank you for the opportunity. Where are the two of them anyway?”

Cynth runs out the front door and runs onto the installed teleport pad outside with a guard waiting on it. Nikolai looks at Cynth and laughs before turning back to mom. “I see he’s ready to go. What about Cain?”

Mom looks behind her for me, and Dad and I walk out the front door slowly, and he gives me a hug before walking towards Cynth, and Nikolai speaks to me. “Are you nervous, Cain?” I look at him, but don’t speak. He looks at my mom inquisitively, but she shrugs. He turns back to me and pats me on the head. A shock went through my head, and I began to pass out again. Nikolai and mom began yelling my name as they saw me begin to fall to the ground.

“CAIN!”

I could hear my dad yell out as he ran to me, and he tried to wake me as well, but before long, I passed out.

Another dream, but not of the field of blood from the year before. It was something else. I saw my dad laying on the bed in a ward somewhere, and I could see some woman caring for him in a black robe. She stuck a needle into his hand and injected him with something before running out, and I tried to turn back to see who that was or anything, but I woke up soon after in a different location.

“W-What happened? Did I pass out again?”

I looked around and sat up to see Cynth next to me, alongside a few others that I didn’t recognize. They all looked about my age and varied between sizes and races. I looked towards Cynth, and he smiled.

“Glad to see you’re up, Cain. You had fallen pretty bad back at grandma’s house. Nikolai took you with us to treat you before giving you to a guard to take to the Air Base in Ciol.”

“W-what?” I looked around a little more, and as I got a clearer head, I noticed the large machine people were walking onto and a few guards leading everyone into the entrance. I stood up and began to follow them all, and Cynth pulled my hand.

“Are you okay, Cain? You don’t seem okay.”

I shake my head, and I look back at Cynth. “Yeah, sorry, Cynth. I’m okay. Where are we?”

He looks at me with worry but pats my back softly. “We are at Ciol’s Air Base, and that thing you were walking towards over there-” He points to the machine with everyone boarding. It’s massive, and the body of the machine is made of steel, while something that looks like balloons is floating above the machine, with fire bellowing underneath an opening to the balloons. It almost resembled a boat.