Beautiful Darkness

➵ The Contradiction of Humanity

         

When I emerge from the mirror my grip on reality is temporarily lost. I gasp for air as every sense returns to me. The group rushes to my side, making sure I am not injured.

"How long was I gone?" I ask as soon as I regain my bearings.

"Around five minutes." Ruelle answers. Shock is evident across my features. I felt like I was talking to Alecka for hours.

The thought of his name sends shivers across my skin. I have not forgotten our conversation.

"So, did you find out where Anessia is?" Natalia impatiently asks from across the room.

"No," I say dejectedly.

"Oh, so you didn't make contact with Alecka?" She further inquires.

"I didn't say that..."

I see the flame arising in Natalia's eyes. Apparently so does Daniel because he manages to quickly interfere.

"How about we all give Arailia a minute to think." He promptly suggests to the group. His act is convincing to all but one. Natalia's glare descends to the floor as Daniel's eyes never leave her form.

"Alecka destroyed my memories. They're gone." I cannot describe the emotion in my voice although it sounds a lot like relief.

"He destroyed them? How is that even possible? How are we ever going to know what really happened?" Davina's frantic questions begin.

Despite being back to the present, my soul aches to walk back through the mirror. It craves to leave all this chaos behind and simply wander through nothingness. I shake the thought from my mind.

Alecka said we would meet at the setting of the last sun. What does that mean? Is the world ending or did he mean we wouldn't see each other until the last day I will live? Perhaps both?

"I don't know. But he mentioned something very similar to Orion. He said more games are being played than we realize. I think a blood oath was preventing him from saying more," I analyze.

"We all know who that oath was made with," Graham speaks up.

"Nothing is guaranteed. Anessia made some sort of deal while on the brink of death. We can't judge his situation without knowing the facts." My defensive tone surprises even myself.

"I'm tired of this bullshit." Natalia's loud voice echoes across the walls.

"Excuse me?"

"We are getting nowhere. I didn't turn my back on those I love, I didn't defy my people to sit around doing nothing! Things may not have been perfect, but at least Roman had a plan." She spits.

The second his name comes out of her mouth a deadly and freezing rage spreads through my veins.

"Shut your mouth." I don't recognize my voice.

"Both of you need to cool off," Daniel interferes.

"You've been thinking the same thing, we all have. As each day ticks by we're in more danger than the last. Did we forget that an apocalypse is rising? Did we forget that all of our friends and families are in danger? I will not sit back and watch as they all fall." Natalia's voice rises by the end of her rant.

"Then go." I don't mean the words, but they slip out anyways.

She gives me a long, hard look. She pulls out her sword. It is one that the wolves provided her with. Graham and Lincoln assume protective positions around me. Natalia lets out a disgusted laugh as she throws it down on the ground in front of me. She turns briskly and begins to leave.