Silent As The Moon

Chapter Eight

"What the hell do you mean?!" Lyrik nearly roared, and both her and Kael stumbled back as Mykel's hand erupted into flames.

The crackling of fire rose in the air, the smell of smoke wafting around them, the glow illuminating the walls. 

Fire. Mom. Dad. Neveah. Ruby. Me.

Her eyes slammed shut.

Smoke. Choking. Collapsing. The flames blocked. The smoke filling the air. Slapping against the wind. The air grey. So hot. Then so cold. Then nothing.

"Lyrik!" a distant voice yelled in her ear.

A wave of shock and realization slammed into her.

Someone put me on the cliff. Someone saw me and didn't help, they just moved me. Nobody could have guessed I was the Silver Eyes. There was no way to know, was there? So someone left me there. Without helping. Without knowing if I was a Silver Eyes.

"Lyrik!" 

She struggled awake and blurted it out, before she could stop herself.

"Someone left me on the cliff to die, without knowing I was a Silver Eyes, they couldn't of known! Kael! Mykel! Someone wanted me to die, to not turn into this but to actually die!"

Another wave hit her, this one remembering.

"You're a firekeeper," she spat out, not knowing what to feel. Kael looked drowsy, as if he'd just zoned out.

"I told you I could fight," Mykel hissed. "Do you still doubt me? You just fainted- or whatever the hell just happened- from the tiniest extent of my power."

"That's... Unfair. I was killed in a fire, what do you expect?" Lyrik shot back.

"Kael was not."

The three words had the biggest effect imaginable.

"You're too important," Kael muttered, just loud enough for them to hear him. "It'll put all of M'Daol into chaos if you leave."

"No. They would not care. They are used to their heirs leaving."

"What about your family?"

"My parents do not care, either. My brothers and sisters would be glad to have the throne. I'd be asking this question to you."

"I told my parents about Lyrik, before I went after her- I'll tell you that later- and they said, 'Promise us you'll come back'. That's it. They care, but they know they can't stop me. I don't have siblings."

"Then let's go." 

Mykel rolled his eyes at their shocked expressions.

"I've been waiting for this day ever since I met Ruby. I'm prepared. So, do you want to be able to fight if the Scarlet Council attacks, or not?"

"Answer that yourself, if you're so smart," Lyrik muttered under her breath. Then, louder, "What do you think, roasted-brains?"

"She means, can we please have weapons," Kael interfered. Lyrik snorted.

"No, I meant what I said."

Mykel and Kael ignored her, and the firekeeper led them out the door, into a stunningly orange hall. Lyrik had to admit it was beautiful, with gorgeous rose-coloured and sea-coloured gem chandeliers, intricate patterns on the pristine floor, and rosewood bookshelves. She had never seen anything like this place; everything was so obviously expensive and stunning.

"Don't you have guards or something?" Kael asked, interrupting Lyrik's thoughts. Mykel shrugged.

"Sure. Outside."

Lyrik didn't point out how clearly idiotic that was; if he had guards, didn't he want to have them with him wherever he went?

"Here. The red doorknob is the weaponry."

"Of course," Lyrik said, again quiet, so that they couldn't hear her. Typical. So, so typical. Red like blood.

When Mykel opened the door, she was shocked. It was nothing like she had expected; there were no weapons filling the whole room, or any blood on the floor- there were just four boxes in each corner of the room- big, but...

So clean.

So quiet.

So organized, even with just four objects in the room- the room was so perfectly symmetrical, and the boxes were the exact same in every way. Except for one thing: each had a different colour.

"Why is it-"

"The lilac box has poisons," Mykel began, "and the grey has armour of sorts. Crimson has short-range weapons, and black has long-range. The room next to us is simply for keeper weapons and boosts."

"Poison?" Kael asked, sounding sick. "What- why-"

"M'Dallians won't face it, but we are at war. We need defensive and offensive weapons..." the prince blinked, emerald eyes weary. "There are attacks on us, if you do not know. Just a few days ago there was a bombing in K'Doal- our second-most populated city. And another followed a few hours after, causing the volcano in the Firering to erupt. It was a clear message from M'Dall. You have been vicious for a few years now, but we haven't retaliated."

Something's the matter here, then, Lyrik realized suddenly. Otherwise M'Doal would have attacked us back. If Mykel's telling the truth, that is. Kael looks shocked. I think very few M'Dallians know about this, if it's real...

"I won't believe it," Kael declared. "I would know. I have no reason to believe M'Daol over M'Dall."

Mykel was silent, then he sighed, and said, "Look for weapons you might use."

Kael went right to it, but Lyrik stared at the wall, lost in her thoughts.

How did I go from a happy teenager to this? How am I going to go back to being that happy teenager? Is that even possible?

Maybe I should just give up. Live in a forest somewhere. Obviously I can. I have no need for food, or water, or sleep. Maybe I'm just going to end up getting Kael and the Prince killed.

I shouldn't let them risk it... If this "Scarlet Council" is real, then they might be able to kill me, too... Forever... And they might be willing to kill them, as well...

A loud clatter made her jerk her head up, but it was just Kael dropping something. Mykel rolled his eyes.

No. They've decided to help me. So I'll help them, too. 

She crouched down and looked through the weapons.

A bit short, sorry about that. What do you think? Haha, the keeper stuff wasn't what you were expecting, was it? Chapter Nine's coming soon! I can't believe we've reached 213 comments in total (as of Jan 3, 2021). Happy New Year! Stay safe!

~ Zila