Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Fifty ~

Waking up in the clearing would be something I'd never forget. I was staring up at the night sky when I opened my eyes. Stars dazzled my vision but the faces above me were more dazzling; Emy, Blaike and Kaleb were staring down at me with the same relieved expression.

"Come on, Cass, the plan was to get hurt, don't take it too far." Emy smiled and winced when the cut on her cheek opened and bled down her face.

Kaleb offered her his sleeve to wipe it away and she smiled as she used it. I took the hands held out to me and let them sit me up, Blaike pulled me into a hug but it made him wince. He didn't care though and it was a bit selfish but neither did I. After a second Emy joined us and then Kaleb, who wrapped us in a bear hug. I frowned when I realised something wasn't right and pulled away.

"Where is Kayle? Please tell me he didn't...?" I looked around for the first time, we were all exactly where we had been when we fell.

The landscape looked different at night but from the light of a few magical orbs floating around, I could easily see the blackened smudge where Kayle had turned Riltresik into nothingness. Kayle wasn't there though and I noticed that soldiers were standing nearby, it appeared as though they were guarding us.

"Kayle is..." Emy hesitated and I felt a lump form in my throat, if what we had done had caused his death I would never have forgiven myself.

"Kayle is the king of the world? Kayle is fantastic and deserves a medal? Kayle is the best cousin in this or any world? I am thinking all of them combined."

My heart soared when Kayle came walking past the guards, he was flipping stones up in the air like nothing life altering had just happened.

I tried to get up from my spot but I was too weak, then I realised the others were also kneeling down or sat on the ground. None of us had the strength to get up and yet Kayle was waltzing around unscathed. He walked over and leaned down to give me a hug.

"I'm glad you're alright, I got really worried for a moment there." I hugged him tightly for a moment until he pulled away, his expression sincere.

"And I, with all of you. When I came round from whatever happened, you four were unconscious and there was a blast zone at my feet. I kind of panicked, I called out for help while I tried to see how bad you all were. Merkell was first on the scene and that is when I knew I could relax."

"What about my dad? Is he okay?"

Kayle nodded, "He is alive... but you should go see him as soon as you can move."

That worried me to no end but at least he was okay. My thoughts turned back to something Kayle had said.

"So you don't remember what you did?" I asked incredulously and he shook his head.

"The last thing I remember is energy pulsing through my whole body and I felt kind of drunk with it. Everything after that is blank, I do not know what transpired." He frowned and the others nodded along with him.

"None of you saw what happened after Kayle received our magic?"

They shook their heads, they must have blacked out from depletion. I relayed every detail to them, everything Kayle had said and done, emphasising the fact that Riltresik was gone without a shadow of a doubt.

Kayle's eyes were gleaming in the moonlight, "I dedicated the fight and his destruction to my mum?"

I smiled softly at him, "You wanted to honour her, you were very proud and you looked so intimidating."

Emy snorted and Kayle scrunched his face at her, the tears were falling freely and Emy leaned into his side.

"You're pretty great when you wanna be. Don't let it go to your head though." Kayle sniffled through a smile, wrapping an arm around her.