The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 39: Results and Tribulations. (Part 1)

Chapter 32: Results and Tribulations.

2 years 9 months 1 week After the Fall:

"This is all your fault," the woman spat in my face. She knelt down in front of me grasping my chin and forcing our eyes to meet. "Because of you all my people are dead!"

"Kah'seer... do you really believe that?" I spoke weakly, not even bothering to budge against the restraints binding me.

Kah'seer grit her teeth, her black hair framing her face, "You should have killed her the moment you had a chance."

"It's not Aria's fault. There was nothing she could do."

"She led them straight to us. How many of the allied dungeons are in disarray now? We've lost half our fighting force!" Kah'seer raised herself, pushing me to the floor. "She's a Witch, isn't she? Her strength, her power. The way she handled the Sand's Heart. Because of her chaos came to our lands. Don't you get it Ardent? Witches bring nothing but misery!"

"She's not a Witch!" I yelled back, mustering what strength I had. "Aria is my sister and that will never change."

"You don't get it Ardent. Witches have always appeared in our history, and they are nothing but omens for death and decay. The fact that your sister even spoke to a Witch has cursed her." Kah'seer laughed solemnly, "You would have been perfect Ardent. A natural leader, a bright mind so full of potential. If Aria didn't exist, you would have been the star of Crysis. Instead, when the world looks at us, all they see is her and now Zen is dead, they'll do anything to get her."

"What did you do?" I looked up at her, eyes wide.

"I made a deal." She looked away, "Curse me all you want Ardent, but I put my family first."

"You can't trust them Kah'seer," I began to plead. "You know how they've treated us before."

"I don't have much of a choice anymore." She stepped away, beyond the door and looked back at me. "I hope you survive Ardent, truly I do."

The door groaned to shut, and I was sealed in darkness.

Ardent Friend:

The Rift was a strange place. A world of colours strewn and folded amongst each other, flashing bright lights and cracks of darkness. Time seemed slow, our minds processing faster and faster to the point even a blink lasted minutes. Then suddenly without realising everything snapped back together and the memory of my thoughts condensed as if nothing was amiss. What followed was a tug and with that, the Rift opened and we hurtled out of it.

The first thing I noticed was that we were falling. My senses snapped aware, holding Zen tighter to my back and searching for which way was up. I righted myself and gripped Aria tighter.

"Landing, now!" I yelled and she nodded.

Aria's arms flew out beside her as a wave of energy quickly settled around us. The rushing air died down and what started as a violent descent eased into a slow fall. I looked down. We were about fifty metres in the air, taking the view of our city and the rising sun that peeked across the horizon. Below us I could see a street filled with parked cars, crammed townhouses and a park in the distance.

"To the park," I pointed, and Aria controlled our descent for an easy landing. As we touched down, I couldn't help noticing a rough trail that dug into the ground and a familiar energy lingering on it. Vanter had landed here only hours earlier. It appeared that the space we fell from must be a weak point against the Rift. I memorised the spot.