Caelestis

Chapter 31

Chapter 30: My Heart is Gone, My Body is Captured

He was gone. As my heart slowly started to pump blood into my veins, tears trickled down my cheeks. Wisps of my curly hair blew around in my face reminding me that the world hadn't stopped to take into account what it had lost. I couldn't process it. I had never treated Ben the way he deserved—he had always been there for me in every way and know the one time he needed me, I couldn't help.

I remembered what he had told me before the war had started. "You just have to take on what life gives you and go with it. If something happens to me, you'll live. Just think of all the happy things we did together. Like the waterfall swims and the training with General Carnor. Remember them. Trust me..." Trust. I had trusted him and now he was gone. Lying on the hard earth next to me. My heart pounded in my chest and a lump in my throat kept coming up. No matter how hard I swallowed, it was still there, boiling in my body. My mind didn't clear up anymore and pain in my back was unbearable.

I reached up and wiped more sweat from my forehead. Ben's body was already starting to get pale. I tore off a strip of my dress and placed it around the dagger still in his side. As the shouts and cries of war echoed in my ears, I put my head in my hands and cried. Hurt. Sadness. Guilt. Anger. Hate...I shook my head.

I took my hands off of my head and looked at Ben once more. I touched is face and hair. His lip had been cut and the blood was drying on it. I lie down on the ground next to him. The air became shiny and I found myself in a dark hallway. My mother was standing next to me. The tension was high and she led me forward. A door was at the end of the hallway and that's where we were headed. We picked up our pace. Running, we approached the door. Light shone through into the darkness and gave me hope.

Suddenly, a large figure stepped in front of us and slit my mother's throat. I screamed and shoved past him. I tripped on a stone and fell...

My eyes flickered open. It was dark outside and very quiet. Only the sound of the wind came to my ears.

I rose up off of the ground. I saw torches in the darkness and heard shouts. I didn't know who it was but I wanted to go home.

I looked at Ben. His body was still lying next to me, the dagger still in his side. Though he was gone, his face still had color. I saw something move on his face and thought it was his eyelashes. My heart leaped and I gasped. I looked hard at Ben for several minutes but nothing happened. I just can't face the thought... I said to myself. It's just my imagination...

Looking around me, I guessed that the battle had been over with for the day. Dead Gramores and soldiers were littered all over the battlefield. Their lifeless bodies a jumbled mess. Blood was poured on the battlefield and the grass was no longer green. It had turned brown and ugly the disgusting smell of metallic blood filled the air. It was misty and I could hardly see the area around me.

I stood up and picked up the bow and screamed in pain when the scabs from my wound ripped open. Pulling off my armor, I took a few drowsy steps toward the castle.

"Adeline!" I heard voices call through the mist.

"I'm here!" I called back but my voice was almost silent. I cleared my throat and was about to say something when I heard something behind me.

I felt a cold, scaly hand on my back and whirled around. I gasped in horror. At least seven Gramores were standing behind me. Le-quin had his hand on my arm. Although he was human, he looked like a monster.