Fate of Pandora - Book II

A Restful Night

Kamikas, also known as demigods, had only one goal: to protect the Pandora's box, the gift of all Knowledge, from falling into wicked hands. There was a time were hundreds of magical rings existed and through them the Kamikas had access to Gods' powers. However, as the centuries passed their numbers decreased; lost, destroyed, or simply forgotten, and so was the Box. Now there are only seven of them left; struggling to survive, to comprehend their purpose and to find the lost treasure they were supposed to protect.

They survived the treachery inside the ice cave, but found themselves back at the beginning with their hands empty. Coalt suddenly sat up, startled and sweating cold. He looked around, noticing he was no longer inside the frozen chamber, but outside, under the orange sky as the sun was setting on the horizon.

"Gaah! You scared me!" Lukas jumped away from the brunette. "What is up with your face?"

Coalt stared at him, perplexed. The young man looked himself over, checking for tattoos and evil rings, and found none. For a moment, he wondered if everything that had happened in the cave was only a bad dream.

"You-You're all alive?" Coalt asked him, very troubled. Lukas's clothes were torn and dirty, but he appeared to be fine.

Lukas smiled gently. "Yes, everyone is fine." He pointed to Ayame comforting Arika, who was sobbing. "Well, actually..."

Seeing the two girls was enough proof for Coalt that it hadn't been only a nightmare. He looked down to his hands before asking, "Yuko really is dead, isn't she?"

Lukas looked back at the cave's entrance, frowning. "You're the last one to wake up. No one is sure how we ended up outside with all our wounds healed. Arika's been crying since she woke up, and Luna and Jasmet ventured back into the cave to see if they could find Yuko's body. They should be back soon."

The older boy sighed, resting his head in his hands. He was relieved that he had been able to stop the ritual before it was too late. "I'm just glad everyone is safe."

Lukas looked at him in concern. "You sure you're okay? In the cave back there, we-"

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Sorry for not being of much use. I fainted when everyone needed me the most." Coalt sounded disgusted with himself, but his words only puzzled the younger boy.

"You- you fainted?"

"Yeah. I don't remember anything after Yuko was killed. All I know was that things were getting worse." He looked up at Lukas curiously, "Why are you asking?"

Lukas stifled a gasp when he realized that Coalt had no memory of the event, just like Ayame and Arika after they had been forced to fight each other. Uh-oh. Should I tell him? Maybe it's better not... Oh, I don't know! I should tell the others!

He decided quickly, then shook his head with a small smile. "Oh, no reason."

The brunette continued to scrutinize him for a minute, then his attention turned back to the crying girl, clinging onto Ayame as she called for her tutor. Yuko had been the only family she really had.

The despair and sadness that is the loss of a parent, or anyone you loved, right in front of you was something he knew well. "Anyway, don't worry about me. Arika is the one who needs more attention. Go, help take care of her. I'll be fine on my own."

"If you're sure," Lukas agreed, and left him. When the older boy was alone, he gritted his teeth.

Luna and Jasmet returned shortly before the nightfall. They shook their heads when asked if they had found anything.