Xylia

Eight

"-stop!" I screamed. Droplets of 'water' slid down my heated skin. Blinking past the streams of magical fluid, I disappointedly noted the familiar walls of the cave.

"Xylia?" Everest's hopeful voice was a stab to my side. Forcing myself to be the bearer of bad news, I breathed out, "I'm sorry."

The words hung between us, acting as an anchor that plummeted the once optimistic mood. Everest was painfully quiet, his eyes unfocused as he took in the news.

Like a spring stretched too far, he snapped. Fist connecting with the wall with a reverberating thud. The tension in his shoulders melted away, anger being replaced by a crestfallen look that stung more than his rage had.

"What happened?" He asked shakily.

"I tried to talk to him," I gulped, my voice quaked with the fresh sting of failure, "but he said we had to deal with it on our own."

"What?!" Everest guffawed, "that doesn't sound like something a spirit would say."

"I believe his exact words were: you earthborn must learn to reap what you have sown." A dejected sigh escaped my down turned lips.

Everest plopped on the ground, burying his face in his hands. "What are we going to do? That-that was our only chance at defeating the beast... That was my only chance of returning home." He muttered the last sentence under his breath.

"What?" I questioned. Everest stiffened, before replying.

"Just forget Xylia," I opened my mouth to argue back, but he snapped his head up, glossy eyes pleaded with me to keep my mouth shut. Seeing that I would no longer press on with the matter, Everest curled up into a sad ball of despair.

Oh geez. He looked so...defeated.

Crouching down, I awkwardly patted his arm cooing, "There, there."

His body shook. Whether it be with laughter or tears, I couldn't tell. Another moment of my clumsy taps later he broke the silence. "What are you doing?" He chuckled wetly.

"Comforting you, isn't it obvious?" Everest let out a snort.

A comfortable silence fell upon us, and while the cave emanated a stillness, my mind was reeling with other viable solutions. An epiphany clicked in my thoughts, jumping on my feet I proclaimed, "I've got it!"

Everest flinched at my outburst, curiosity swimming in his eyes.

"We've been trying to figure out the problem with just our two minds, right?" He nodded apprehensively.

"Well, as my wise friend once told me, two is better than one."

Everest still looked puzzled. I heaved an exasperated breath.

He can be so dense at times.

"We need to go regroup with my people, there are at least a dozen Cyrans at my campsite. Maybe together we can find another way."

At that, his eyes widened comically. "We can't," he objected bluntly.

Planting my hands on my hips, I questioned, "And why not?"

Everest pursed his lips, eyes darting around, as if he could physically see an excuse to not go. "Because...". His face flushed, arms swaying with guilt, "Because I hurt your friend."

Oh.

My lips quirked into a kind smile, nudging his side I joked, "Oh please, Volkan needed the street cred." He shot me a withering scowl.