The Rune Smith

Chapter 22-Remission

Alia's regret was eating her from the inside out. Had she known that Alex would look at her with those eyes, those firm, angry eyes, she would have thought her decision through properly.

Now a man was dead and Alia for all intents and purposes had killed him. Despite the complete lack of wounds on the dead man's body, Alia looked like she had taken his life using her own hands.

The look the Commander was giving her wasn't because of the fact that the man was dead- though it certainly looked as though Alex was able to read the situation and interpret it with accuracy.

"It's not what it looks like." Alia's voice was strong and unwavering; she hadn't lost any of her determination.

Alex on the other hand looked flustered.

The role reversal was almost ironic. Alex had always known who she was and Alia had assumed she would never change. Alia herself had believed that she would never figure out who she was or who she wanted to be.

"Isn't what it looks like? Isn't what it looks like?! Alia, I have no idea what this looks like. For the sake of the stars, I died. The fact that I came back isn't natural. Nothing about this right. Why are you here? Where is this? I- I don't know what's happening."

Alia reaches for Alex's cheek. She wanted to calm her friend, but Alex flinched, avoiding the contact.

"Alia, you're really scaring me."

Alia pulled her hand back to her chest. Alex was right. Everything about this was wrong. She hated that she didn't regret exchanging Alex's life for that nameless soldier. She hated the fear in Alex's eyes, fear intended for her. She hated that she regretted creating that rune.

She pulled at her hair, groaning in frustration. Why couldn't something good happen and stay good. Why did there have to be consequences like this.

"Alia, are you okay?" Even with her fear, Alex was still worried.

Alia threw herself into Alex's arms, on the verge of tears. She ignored the jerk of the Commander's chest as Alex tried to pry herself from Alia's arms. She needed the contact- the feeling of warmth, the comfort that comes only from someone Alia cares for.

"I just wanted to save someone. I've already experienced enough loss- I didn't want to lose you too."

"Loss? What do you mean? Who- oh."

Alia tightened her grip on Alex, forcing the Commander to reluctantly embrace Alia back. It was awkward, but that didn't matter.

"Estara- she passed away, and all I could do was watch. And Luca came to. I'm really worried about him because when King Mutine Presariom-" (Alia pointed at Mutine and then turned back to Alex) "had us kidnapped we got separated. I don't know if he's still alive-"

Alex's eyes were the size of dinner plates. She pushed Alia away forcefully, making eye contact with the magic-less girl.

"Did-did you say Luca?"

"Yes?" For a split second Alia couldn't understand why Alex had latched onto Luca's name from the ramblings she had just finished. Then it dawned on her; Luca was Prince Luca. One of the people Alex had been charged to protect.

The image of the palace massacre flowed into Alia's mind. Alex probably didn't know that Prince Luca was about to become King Luca.

If he was alive, that is. But Alia was going to consider him alive until proven otherwise. She didn't want to imagine a world without him.

"He came to me when I was visiting my sister; he said he had something to tell me."

Alex looked anxious- clearly Luca hadn't told her what he had been planning.

"We left together, but the automobile was thrown from the road and I was paralyzed so I couldn't escape. Luca managed to get my bracelet to work. I don't know if anyone got the message."

She bit her lip. She wasn't sure if she would regret what she was going to say next. But she already had so many regrets; she could deal with one more.

"Luca told me you were missing right before we left. Which means you don't know."

"Know what?"

"The castle was attacked- the king and queen were killed. Don't try to dissuade me. I saw it with my own eyes."

Alia glared at Mutine. He was being uncharacteristically silent.

"He made me watch. He launched the attack. He kidnapped me. He killed you. He made me do all of these things that I didn't want to do."

King Presariom's odd silence was broken.

"No one made you do anything. You simply chose the option that resulted in the maintenance of a living existence. You could have died instead; at least you would know mercy in death. Death isn't merciless, life is."

He wasn't wrong. But Alia didn't think he was right either.

"They're dead? All of them? The king, the queen, the princes? All gone?"

Alex looked distraught. Not sad, but guilty.

"That can't possibly be true. Surely they had a backup plan. They always did."

A nagging thought tugged at Alia's mind. Maybe Alex wasn't as protective of the King and Queen as she had always seemed to be. They had not exactly been good people.

Correction. They never had been good people ever.

Alex just looked guilty because she felt no remorse for their deaths. If even the most trusted soldier of the king despised him, something like that speaks volumes.

"Alex, they have to be dead. I can't imagine a single reason why they would still be alive. In any case, if Luca is alive, he would be a better ruler."

"You could just bring them back. From the dead. Like you did with me."

Alia avoided Alex's gaze.

"Using that rune wasn't without consequences. Someone died in your place. He killed you, so I feel it wasn't an entirely unfair exchange, but I can't help but think it was also because of proximity. I worry that if the rune is casted again someone innocent would die instead."

Alex tugged Alia so that the teenage girl met eyes with the Commander. A fire that had previously been extinguished burned in Alex's eyes, an inescapable fury.

"Alia, no one's life is worth another's. No ones. It's not your place to decide who lives or dies. You need to understand that. "

Alex released Alia, casting a quick glance at Mutine, clearly on guard against him. She didn't trust him. There was no doubt that he had done something to Alia.

"I don't know what changed you, and I can only guess who it was, but you're different now. And I don't think I like this new you."

Have a great day!

-Ennycema