Queen of the Night (Book One of the Elementals)

XV. Helian

Heela's death shocked everyone; the loss of hundreds of brave Rovaneim didn't help either—especially since it seemed like they had died for nothing. A black cloud hung over the group; Helian needed to provide some light for them. After all, he was the Sun, but he couldn't find the light in himself to give. That cloud blocked out the Sun and he couldn't penetrate it.

Aeris wanted to bury Heela by herself, but Helian convinced her that they should all be present. They found a secluded spot away from the actual battleground; it took a few stomps for Tegen to open up the earth. He shaped the hole to mimic a grave, raised the dirt within to become level with the grass, and instructed Air to lay Heela upon it. After she did, the earth slowly receded, lowering their fallen comrade into the ground. The earth closed over him. The big Kemiji wrote in the air and carved the words 'Heela, lover of song' into the cliff wall.

No one had said anything in their procession or during the funeral. Aeris just stared at Heela's grave, as still as a statue. Something needed to be said, and as the Sun—the leader of the Elementals—Helian had to do it.

"Heela brought joy and smiles. Him being gone will feel like a missing hole, but the gap will shrink with time. And we will avenge him," Helian stated.

"His death could've been prevented" —Aeris cut her eyes at Geryon— "if you had stopped us." She walked off.

Fire didn't show if her words affected him—he remained as stoic as ever, but his eyes followed her as she left.

Once Aeris disappeared and, knowing she sought isolation, the others headed back to help find the trapped or bring them to Zelenia for healing. Helian saw the grief in Tegen's slumped posture, reflected in Renuo's eyes, or shown through Kalisa constantly glancing back at the cliff where Heela now rested, but he kept his attention on the Moon. Out of the group, she alone had healing powers, and she came too late to save Heela.

She had told him her job of guiding the dying to the Silent Realms. Zelenia confessed she struggled with not developing feelings; it hurt her as much as it did the family of the deceased when they passed. Her compassion made her strong, but losing a friend in such a way... that compassion might be her downfall.

After a Rovaneim soldier closed her eyes to sleep, Zelenia rose and moved off. She took a few steps before she slumped against her staff and cried. He hurried up and pulled her into his chest. She sobbed against him.

"I failed Aeris," she began. "She called for me, but I didn't come quick enough." Her crying increased. "I let her down."

He ran a hand up and down her back for comfort. "She doesn't blame you, Zelenia."

"She has to! Just as much as she does Geryon! We caused Heela to die!"

Helian couldn't combat her logic. In a way, he also blamed Geryon, but he also saw his reasoning for allowing them to fight. None of them could have foreseen Heela's death—it was an unfortunate casualty.

"Look, she's angry. She's going to blame others; it's natural. But once she calms down, she'll realize that no one was truly to blame. You nor Geryon killed Heela; Fangril and its demons did."

Zelenia's cries had quietened down to sniffles as his words sunk in.

"You tried your best to reach them; you were just too far away. Aeris knows that—she doesn't want to accept that yet," Helian said.

When her crying faded completely, Zelenia pulled out of his arms and wiped at her red eyes. "Sorry," she said quietly.

He smirked as he rubbed her arm. "Hey, don't apologize; this is what brothers do: give a shoulder for their sisters to cry on."

She gave him a small smile. "Technically, it was your chest. But thanks."

They got back to work helping the wounded when Lord Callidus found them. His white-haired Seteri bodyguard still flanked him. Other than being scraped and equally dirty, they weren't seriously injured. The shame in his eyes said that he knew.

"I saw the Priestess of Air apart from everyone else and without the one with the guitar... I am so sorry for your loss," Lord Callidus said, voice somber.

Zelenia took a shaky breath. "His name was Heela, but thank you. We are also sorry for your loss."

"Jacal was a warrior—death is a known risk. Your Heela was not. Perhaps it would've been better if I had not given you passage."

It took Helian a moment to find the correct words. "If you had not, perhaps more lives would have been lost."

Lord Callidus listened with downcast eyes. "No matter what we can imagine, the cost was still one of your own. And I am to blame."

Helian had to admit that he agreed with him.

***

When Helian finally found the road again and followed it to the last flat cliff, everyone except for Zelenia and Tegen were waiting. Renuo was sitting with his head in his hands, on her knees Kalisa sat beside him with a hand on his back, Geryon was once again propped up against the face of the cliff watching over theirs, and Aeris stood at the edge of the bluff, looking out at the sea.

Helian decided to rest against the cliff beside the older man. Geryon said no greeting, and he didn't expect one—Geryon didn't say much and was always distant, not wanting to be bothered. Neither said a word, and when Helian snuck a peek at Geryon, his heavily lidded eyes were locked on Aeris. As usual, his face showed no kind of emotion, hinting at his thoughts.

Zelenia and Tegen finally appeared. "Let's go," she suggested softly, then headed toward the road leading to Lausane. Renuo and Kalisa stood without a word and followed right behind. Aeris mimicked them.

Helian saw the emptiness in her eyes. "Do you think she'll be fine, Geryon?" he asked as they pushed themselves away from the cliff.

"Healing takes time, Helian," he answered curtly. "Especially a wound as deep as that, but the scar will always remain."

His eyes drifted down his arms to the multitude of scars marring his tanned skin.