Gifted *Editing*

Chapter 22: Promise of war.

                                                                        Christian

It's like the whole world become numb, noises weren't as loud, views not as captivating, laughter not as full, smiles that never reached the eyes.

I felt so hollow, like all the life had been drained out of all at once, now here I am, just existing.

It's been a month since Andy left me to join that Gloomer.

As much as I begged and pleaded, no reinforcements were sent to get her back, they said that the Shadow realm is too powerful, they said it's not worth so many lives. They declined my request to get her myself. Because I'm not a citizien of the Glacier tribe, they cannot guve me permission to cross the border, and my own tribe would never assist me because of my reasons going, they would never support the thought of a bearer of ice and a bearer of fire being together.

To cross the border without permission is a an act of war, and I cannot be so selfish as to risk the lives of the whole village.

So here we are, sitting around the stone councile table, trying to devise a strategy to persuade Azarc to deliver Andy back to us safely.

"We can't rule a kidnapping to the grand councile becasue she went with him willingly," a voice cut through my empty thoughts.

"But she wasn't in her right mind, her gifts were thinking for her, we can request an act of Blind Magic," another voice filtered through the cold room.

Blind Mgic was the term we used when a person loses all sense of themselves and act upon the pure instinct of their magic.

"But she was in her right mind, do you not think that the threats of us stripping her of her gifts were not a prime reason to leave? Do you not think that she valued her gift rights more than us?" My mother's vouce cut through the council, she had been very strung up this past month.

"But even those thoughts and feelings could drive her to leaving her Chosen behind," Nathanial spoke up, he had been surprisngly very supportive of me, and had become a good friend.

His steely gaze softened when his eyes met mine.

I gave him a tired smile before returning my attention to the smooth exterior of the table.

"There is another matter..." Lushkov said slowly.

We all averted our gaze to him, he seemed nervous about this particular piece of information.

"There has been rumors of Alan Stone, they say that he still in league with the Drifters, and that he has had several meetings with Azarc himself the past few months, about a month before Andy arrived her." Lushkov's words clung to the cold mist hanging in the air.

The Drifters was the name that we had given to the remaining Ice Dragons.

I looked at my mother in utter shock, this was not good. I felt a slight pang in my chest when Lushkov said his name.

"That must mean that he must of had some sort of clue that Andy was indeed a Drifter." Talia said, keeping her most stoic face on, but I knew that she felt that very same pain I did.

"Which is why I had to bring it up, because there has also been talk of a war approaching us, between us and the rogues which are mostly made up of the Gloomers and Rogue Fire Breathers, primarily lead by Alan Stone and Azarc. The chief of the Drifters has been quiet, but they say that he is very interested in Andy as well, he is not declaring that the Drifters take part, but is not denying them their choice to do so."

This was not good.

"Do you think that they would convince Andy to fight for them?" Nathanial asked worriedly.

"I believe that no convincing would be necessary," Lushkov said gravely.

"Andy wouldn't..." I began shakily.

"Christian..." my mother began gently.

"I'm afraid she would, there has been reports of a powerful Gloomer with the abilty to not only soul jerk, but to shift into a dragon, who has been doing Azarc's dark deeds for him. Nothing too extreme... But dark netherless," Lushkov confessed.

I was about to defend Andy's name when defeaning screams filled the air.

The council disbanded hurriedly and rushed outside.

My heart almost left my chest when I saw Andy, eyes black as death, create dozens of shadow lurkers, to form a circle around the village and chase any bystanders out the council building area.

"I am to repeat a message from our ruler of the shadow realm, Azarc," Her once soft now steel like voice rang through the crowd.

"He advises that your prepare yourself, for you all have cursed this realm with a bloodstained war. And we will show no mercy, just as how you showed no mercy to us." her words lay heavily down onto the snow covered earth.

She met my gaze and a smile played on her lips.

"After some consulting, Azarc has given me permission to take my Chosen, Christian back with me," she looked contentdly at me, " As long as he obliges to the rules and does not meddle with our plans." she finshed cooly.

"Well that is never-," my mothers words were cut off when I started to walk towards Andy quickly, itching to feel her once again.

She reached her arms out affectionatly and let me pull her into an embrace, her eyes returning to their usual color.

"Andy... are you still there?" I whispered softly into her ear, savouring all the sensations that I was feeling at that moment.

Andy looked up at me and whispered, " Yes, but Christian, you must join me... These people, they've fed you lies... this war is not for a dark agenda, but for the promise of our freedom."

I pulled away from her and glared at her.

"I guess you are blinded then... There is no way that I would join the impure side, they all deserve to be irradicated," I said coldy, not realizing what I had just implied.

Andy staggered back, her eyes misting while darkening to a charcoal black. A sparkling white tear casaded down her cheek.

"Azarc was right, you would never have joined me, he said that if you believe in the erradiaction of us, then you believe in the laws of fire and ice bearers not being together," she stated coldy.

I realized then that Azarc had this all planned out, he wanted to vanquish any remaining hope in her. And he succeeded.

I watched helplessly as Andy backed away, while creating a portal behind her.

"You have chosen the side of death, Chrstian." she whispered coldly.

"I will be the one to personally bring you to your fate." she let her dark promise be the last thing she said before dissapearing into the portal.

My dragon cried out in pure agony at the treatement we recieved.

My whole mind shut down, my legs starting to give up on me.

War was approaching, a war so cruel that the balance of the whole realm will be shifted.

A war between two Chosens.

A war between darkness and light.

But I wonder, which side was the light, and which was actually the dark?

Please vote & comment <3

THIS IS NOT THE END OF GIFTED!

THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL COMING YOUR WAY SOON!

I will make an update in this book when I release the sequal to Gifted!

See ya'll in the next book!