Elements of Change

Communion

Ezo didn't want to look away from Burrow, so he ran his fingers through the effigy's fur and watched the hues shift from green to black under his hand.

Kammon's eyes continued to bounce back and forth between Ezo, Burrow, and Alvrey.

The thought made Ezo look up at the healer. Could he even call her that now? Her attack had nothing to do with healing.

Maggie found her tongue again before the rest of them. "Come back to my house," she motioned with a hand. "Let me check you two over."

"Not with her," Ezo said.

Maggie glanced over at Alvrey, but Alvrey was glaring at Kammon.

"Ezo," Kammon called his name softly. He looked up at his lover, whose eyes were on Burrow, with Ember resting lightly on his shoulder. "Nothing has changed. You still hold the Vow, and we need their help."

"No. We needed Alvrey to get us here. She couldn't remove the Vow. If something can be done, it's in Maggie's hands."

"What if Maggie needs her power?" Kammon asked.

"I would rather die than let her use her powers on me again," Ezo lashed out. "Do you trust her, Kammon? After what she just tried to do?"

Kammon looked at him then, and Ezo finally saw the anger he needed to see.

"No, I don't."

"Kammon," Alvrey's voice was pleading as she called Kammon's name. He glared at her, and she took a step back, but continued. "I'm just doing what's best for Ezo. He can hate me for it all he wants, but I care too much to ignore the danger to him."

Ezo opened his mouth to argue, but Maggie stepped in front of Alvrey. "You've done enough," Maggie snapped. "What you did was against everything we're sworn to do. Explain yourself!"

Alvrey's proud stance crumbled, and her shoulders stooped as she looked down at her hands. "He is the Calamity. We've both seen the destruction he's left in his wake. It follows him, even when he tries to stop. Ezo doesn't deserve to be tied to that."

"It's not your choice!" Ezo demanded.

"It wasn't yours either, Ezo! You've both said it. The magic did this to you. We can find a way to reverse it."

"I don't want to reverse it!" Ezo shouted. "Even if you did, do you think I would leave him? I love him, Alvrey. I know what he is and what he's done. Did you forget that I chased him down when you convinced him to leave me before?"

"Ezo, come back with me," Maggie said, turning to him. "We need to talk about what happened here tonight."

"We'll see you in the morning," Kammon interrupted.

"There is no shelter for you out here," Maggie tried.

"We're elementalists," Kammon said. "Do you think we can't survive with what's on hand?" He didn't say anything else, but power swirled around him as the ground rumbled to the side of the clearing. Walls appeared as an earthen hut formed. Burrow jumped in excited leaps at the magic, circling the outside of the structure as Ember flew around him.

"Ezo, please," Alvrey tried again.

"What did you expect would happen, Alvrey?" he asked. "Did you think you could take him from me and that I would forgive you? That I would do anything other than shun you?"

Alvrey took a step forward, but Maggie caught her arm with one hand and pulled her back. "You've done enough tonight, Acolyte. We'll leave them be." She looked at Kammon and Ezo. "I'll come by in the morning," she said. "My door is open to you if you need anything."