Authors: S.E. Myers
Tristan stood ready. He was ready to face him.
Finar flung a large black ball at Tristan. Instead of deflecting it, Tristan attempted to catch and absorb it.
The pain was excruciating. It tore through his limbs setting fire through every pore. He screamed as he could feel the heaviness of the energy. It left a dirty, grimy, metallic taste in his mouth. He tried to inhale and meld the Chi with his own. He heard Vee scream as he tried to pull it into himself. The twins started screaming loudly as the world crashed around him and went dark.
***
Ryleigh heard screams… at least she thought she did. Everything grew so quiet she could almost hear her own heart beating through her chest. She looked to Nissa, “What was that?”
Nissa shook her head, “I don’t know, Mistress. But it sounded very painful.”
Although she was now permanently connected to Tristan, she couldn’t feel him. Finar changed Tristan and Ryleigh…was more than a Halfling. She tried reaching out to try and find him but the other pull she felt overtook her. She was determined to find her parents. It was important. She followed the winding path pushed by only her gut and intuition.
Coming upon a corner, she hesitated. The air tasted different here, it was sweeter and felt more calming than in any other section of the Sanctum that she walked through. Ryleigh took a deep breath, inhaling her surroundings closing her eyes. She wanted to remember this. Nissa was also affected by the change. She hopped from Ryleigh’s shoulder and started to walk along side of her. Ryleigh hesitated before rounding the corner.
She saw the room from her dream. The altar, the symbols, the paintings. It was all too familiar. She wasn’t sure why but she knew that she needed to be here. Ryleigh walked over to the altar and ran her hands along the smooth stone. There was energy here, “Nissa, can you feel this?”
Nissa nodded in agreement. Ryleigh closed her eyes to listen to the hum beneath her fingers. The soft tones were an incantation singing her a lullaby. Ryleigh wasn’t aware of it but her body started to sway to the music she was hearing. It was almost as if it were a pulse beneath her fingers.
Nissa looked at her Mistress and started to get a little nervous. She wondered if this was a good place or a bad place. She tugged on Ryleigh’s pants and pleaded, “Mistress?”
Ryleigh thought she heard and felt something but all she wanted to hear was the slow drum beat and melodic tones of the music beneath her hands. She wanted to tap into it - just a little bit. Opening herself up she allowed her energy to flow into the stone.
The stone began to glow an eerie incandescent yellow. Ryleigh opened her eyes feeling the change. She was pleasantly surprised - and curious. The room increased in light and it flickered, beating in time with the energy in the stone. Nervousness rose to the surface within her and she could feel a rumbling inside. Nissa was scared. She knew that something was wrong and this was not supposed to happen. Nissa was connected to this place and had genetic memories, this wasn’t supposed to happen. At least, not with her here.
Ryleigh stepped back, afraid of what she might have done. She could feel others around her. She could feel other beings like her… but not like her, in the Sanctum. It was as if she was truly connected to this place.
Nissa was nervous, “Mistress?”
“Shhh,” Ryleigh responded. “I’m trying to listen.”
Nissa obeyed as she always would. She could feel was Ryleigh was trying to do. Ryleigh was reaching out and trying to see or feel what exactly or who exactly was around. All she could pick up were glimmers of beings that streamed through her consciousness.
She felt the screams. Her green eyes flashed open. “We have to go.”
Nissa jumped on her shoulder and Ryleigh started to run in the direction she felt the screams emanate.
***
Tristan’s consciousness slowly started awaking and his body felt as if it were in an awkward position. His head was pounding and his eyes felt as if there were splinters. But his body felt off. He knew he was on the ground. He could feel the stone beneath him. The warmth of the ground soaked through his clothing and drifted into his skin. As he became more awake, he was able to hear what surrounded him. He could hear the screams of the girls and rage of a male voice. He knew it was Finar. He tried to slowly move separate parts of his body.
He heard Adrianne’s voice echo in the distance. It was shrill with cries and pleadings.
“Tell me. Tell me about your daughter Adrianne,” he heard Finar ask.
“You know! You know already,” she cried. Tristan heard the pain being inflicted on her.
The male tone was different, he wasn’t sure if it was truly Finar. But then, he couldn’t be sure of anything but the splitting headache he was feeling.
He groaned but the voices didn’t stop. He was pretty sure that they did not hear him as he rolled over despite his bones and body protesting. But he kept thinking about the girls and Ryleigh’s mom. He tried to pull energy from Vee to heal himself, but he couldn’t feel him around. He knew that he had to be knocked out or unconscious, but he couldn’t feel him at all. This worried him. He would look later, but for now, he needed to get up.
He opened his eyes and noticed that he was hidden behind a pillar. At least he wasn’t dead. He took the opportunity to try to pull his body up from the ground. Leaning on the pillar he could vaguely see Finar’s shape holding Adrianne by the front of her clothes.
The girls were cowering against a wall huddled together. One of the twins spotted Tristan. Tristan placed his finger to his mouth motioning them to be quiet. He could tell that Finar was more invested in the conversation he was having with Adrianne. Mia was on Finar’s shoulder just watching. It seemed there were other shadows behind Finar, supporting him, but Tristan couldn’t be sure as they were not visible. Just an echo of shapes whispering behind his coattails.
Tristan didn’t want to shoot blind and hit Adrianne, she couldn’t defend herself. Tristan felt the storm brewing within him and reached deep. He knew he couldn’t absorb Finar’s energy, but he could deflect it and dodge it - maybe. If he could catch him unsuspecting, then he might be able to save them all.
Tristan had to think.
Think Tristan, think.
He told himself. He reached inside looking for his twin knowing that she was there biding her time. He needed to draw from her strength and her desire to kill Finar.
He concentrated to listen for her. He listened for her melodic tones, the ones he recognized, that he could pull into his own. Although he was powerful, he didn’t draw from Illeana prior to fighting Finar previously. He knew he needed Ryleigh also in order to completely incapacitate him. But at this moment, he needed to save her mother.
Illeana stirred inside of him, combining with his energy and he started to ramp up. His form changing behind the pillar into something new and cruel. The hatred felt by him and Illeana changed his flames to black. A dark contrast to his violet colored skin. He felt the mass of energy through his palms, knowing that Finar could hurt and wanting to hurt him all the more. Tristan’s emotion shifted and changed the density of his energy to something dark and cruel.
He waited. He wanted to bide his time to focus on the figure holding Adrianne. Closing his eyes, he used his mind’s eye to concentrate on Finar. Opening his eyes he could only see him. A direct shot. One shot. As he raised his hands in front of him, Mia spotted him.
Tristan did not hesitate. As if in slow motion, he launched the compiled Chi balls, simultaneously toward Finar. Finar turned a half a second too late, they exploded into him knocking him backward. Immediately, Mia jumped to Finar’s side and faded him away.
Adrianne fell, crumpling to the ground like a falling stack of cards. The twins were behind her against the wall, eyes large as saucers. Tristan rushed to Adrianne’s side.
Picking her up, Adrianne’s body was weightless. Looking into her eyes he could see something was wrong.“What’s is it,” he asked her.
When she spoke is was as if no breath formed the words, “It’s too late.”
“What is too late?” Tristan’s voice pitched upward with worry. He then saw the blood beginning pooling to the front of the shift she was wearing changing its color from blue to a mottled purple tone. He reached down to inspect the wound and found a small dagger.
“I can heal you,” he said reassuringly.
Adrianne shook her head, “No, no, it is my time to go. I have lost everything.”
Tristan could hear her heart still beating strong, “You can live,” he implored. “Ryleigh will be here soon,” he consoled. Adrianne offered a slight grin baring slightly pink teeth. Tristan knew it. He hoped that Ryleigh would show up soon.
His hand, still ahold of the handle of the blade. He attempted to move his hand away from the blade but Adrianne held his hand in place.
“It needs to stay in for me to heal you,” he said.
“No, pull it out, it’s killing me faster,” This meant the blade was enchanted with witch magic.
“But, you might die before Ryleigh gets here,” he implored. Tears formed behind his eyes; he couldn’t be responsible for the death of her mother. It made his chest ache for his own parents and his sister who was no longer with him physically. “I can’t do it.”
Adrianne nodded, “I will be okay for a little while longer. It has to come out. It has to.”
Tristan knew this to be the truth, he had heard of bewitched blades and how they kill. From the inside out. He could see it was already affecting her. Without warning her, he pulled the blade.
Adrianne cried out.
“I am so sorry, I’m sorry,” Tristan continued to repeat. He placed his hands on the wound willing them to close, but he knew they would not. He focused on the blood attempting to staunch the flow. He succeeded - just barely, but he needed her to stay alive for Ryleigh.
Tristan stood with the blade in his hand. Intricate craft work decorated the handle. But before he could dispose of it, he heard a cry.
“Mom!”
Ryleigh found them.
23
Whose fault is it really?
Ryleigh knelt at her mother’s side. Blood poured from her wound. Ryleigh wasn’t aware of who killed her mother - yet. Only that Tristan was holding the blade. Her mother looked up gazing into Ryleigh’s eyes. She opened her mouth to speak. Ryleigh crying said, “Don’t say anything Mom, it will be okay.” Knowing that it wouldn’t be okay.
Adrianne spoke in faint whisper, “Ryleigh, I am so sorry,”
Interrupting her Ryleigh said, “No mom, don’t apologize, don’t. You were going to tell me, you were, that’s why we were going camping. So you could teach me. I understand, I do.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as choking sobs dammed her throat.
Smiling at Ryleigh Adrianne replied, “I will be with you always. Do what is right.”
Adrianne placed her hand on Ryleigh’s chest above her heart. Ryleigh felt a burning sensation in its place. She was trapped in a moment of pain and power as her mother ebbed her life force into her. Ryleigh, realizing what was happening, grabbed her mother’s hand attempting to remove it. She couldn’t speak and she couldn’t do anything but hold her mother’s hand as the burning continued to increase. Ryleigh opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out.
She heard her mother’s voice in her head saying, “
It will be alright, accept it and the pain will go way
.”
Ryleigh screamed a silent NO as the pain continued to increase.
Her mother’s voice again comforted, “
Accept it my sweets, I love you always
.”
Ryleigh’s sobs shook her body like a violent earthquake. She knew she needed to accept it and reluctantly she did so. The pain immediately subsided as a whoosh of energy flowed into her breaking through every pore and making her skin glow. Her mother’s hand dropped onto her lifeless body. Her vacant eyes staring into Ryleigh’s. Ryleigh could only sit there are her mother’s energy was consumed by her own. sensed someone behind her and stood up to turn around.
Tristan.
“You!” Ryleigh spit with venom. “YOU did this,” she screamed as she edged closer to Tristan.
“Ryleigh,” Tristan calmly said as he moved towards her. “I did
not
do this. It was Finar. I swear,” he pointed to her mother and the destruction around them. “I would never do anything like this. I could never
do
anything like this,” Tristan pleaded.
Ryleigh started to feel the rage inside increase and pulled the energy from inside her. She formed cannonballs in the palms of her hands she learned during training with Vera. They glowed a vibrant white and illuminated the rage in her eyes.
Tristan stared at her, pleading, “You don’t want to do this Ryleigh. I didn’t do this; I did not kill your mother.”
Ryleigh knew he was lying. She could see it in his eyes.
“Ryleigh!” Tristan screamed at her as she threw one of her energy balls at him.
“You
lied
to me!” Ryleigh spewed. Her anger darkened her features changing her into something different than what Tristan was used to seeing.
He quickly dodged the ball while simultaneously throwing his blue flames around him, forming a circle surrounding his body in a bubble. Ryleigh threw another ball at him, the energy ball bounced off of the barrier exploding into a wall beside her. Ryleigh could only see darkness surrounding Tristan. The anger changed her, making her think that everything she knew was a lie. She wanted revenge. .
Ryleigh geared up to throw another energy ball. She increased the mass of this one, thickening it, making it much more dense than the one previous. She ignored Tristan’s pleas. Tristan stood his ground as Ryleigh threw the mass. Instead of deflecting the ball; he pulled it inward attempting to transfer it to the barrier he created.