The Guardians of Deities

29

Despite the heavy rain pouring from above and the darkness that covered the city, it seemed more alive than ever thanks to the light coming out from the bars and the music from the parties.

Zeydar was directed to the tallest apartment building downtown and stayed steady on air while her rider got down on a well decorated balcony. Arline didn't know what to command her, she wanted her to stay close but hidden enough so no one could harm her.

"Hide in one of the islets in the river, I'll call for you if I need you" Arline then pet her but the creature hesitated and almost purred and went into hiding, missing itself with the mist from the rain, despite its whiteness.

Thankfully for Arline, the door slid open and revealed her living room. The house was silent and every light was off. She checked every room and realized no one was home, so she decided to shower and change into new clothes.

She waited for hours for someone to show up and almost felt like an intruder in her own home and when she was falling asleep, she heard the tingling between the keychains and the door unlocking. She recognized the stomps from both her mother and sister, whom came to her room and found her sitting on the bed.

"Arli" her sister said in surprise and jumped on her, squishing her in a hug "Where have you been?" The younger Cole had tears in her eyes and was about to continue questioning her older sister when her mother bursted in the room with a dropped expression of disbelief.

"Where have you been?" Her mother hugged her with relief, thankful that she was fine "We thought something had happened. It's been too long, young lady" her voice started drifting from sweet caressing worry to conflictive and angry hatred.

"I don't really know" Arline whispered. She hadn't really thought about the amount of time she had spent away from her home.

"Your father's health has been decreasing" her mother straightened her posture and her voice hardened "All because you acted on impulse".

"He attacked me" Arline fired back. She had missed her mother but not the daily quarrels, despite this one having a valid foundation "The worst part is you let him do it" Arline didn't spend this entire time having to deal with a moron the size of a castle to shy away from her mother now.

"Don't make me the villain now".

"You are my mother" Arline said with tears in her eyes but then she remembered how Merrick's mother had betrayed him and how he still acted like he didn't care.

"Mum, please" Arline's sister was trying to turn off the fight "She's back" she smiled at her.

"Have you even thought of us? Missed us?" Her mother inquired and taking a look back at everything that she had been through, Arline didn't once stop to think about her family. And if she had to admit, it was the first time she had been free to do whatever she wanted and be encouraged to get better.

"Of course I have" she lied the way she did whenever Merrick checked on her. But her mother only rolled her eyes and left the sisters together. They hugged and silently cried because they were reunited again, and chose to spend the rest of the night sleeping in the same bed.

She found herself in the War Room back in Reiska. And saw him, playing with her necklace next to the light of a single candle. Darkness emanated from him and the weak light started shaking. If Merrick looked tired before, now he looked like he had been fighting his demons without a night of rest. It even seemed like he had been crying.

"I should have killed you when I had to" he whispered to himself, his eyes shining at the reflection of the necklace.

And from a corner where no light stroke, a whispering voice spoke "Sentimentality is your poison. You will have to choose" that's everything Pelagius' said and left her mind.

Arline opened her eyes quickly and tried shaking away what she saw. She had sneaked on the King and he didn't notice. "Peace is going to be harder that I wished" she told herself.

That day she went to the hospital to see her father. As she walked through the corridors, her entire body started shaking. "You've fought in a war and almost got killed, this is nothing" she cursed herself in silence. But when she saw him, laying on a bed, intubated and with his eyes closed, her stomach dropped worse than the time she had killed that sailor on the bridge.

Somehow seeing who had harmed her trust and body made her heart sink. She approached his side, sat and grabbed his hand. Arline couldn't look at him, the shame was too much and she just placed her forehead on his hand "Please forgive me" she sobbed and then kissed his hand, and stayed sitting in silence beside his bed.

Arline spent that night alone in her room and her head was all over the place. Her family was happy that she was back, but she realized they would never forgive her for what she had done.

She got out of bed and took a look at her little sister's bedroom and saw her sleeping peacefully, her hair all over her face. Arline smiled to herself. The only person that she had really missed was her sister, she wanted to tell her everything that had happened to her, who she had met, Arline even wanted to tell her about her powers and show her. But then thought of what Pelagius had said and remembered Merrick. Arline started doubting her decision of leaving Reiska, but she couldn't go back, not now knowing that Merrick would most likely kill her if she even stepped a foot in that land.

The Heir had been taught how to control minds and the thought that she could make her family and friends forget not only her mistake but her entire existence, had been a recurring one since Pelagius had first visited her in her dreams.

She contemplated her family one last time. Arline had forgiven her father and she felt he had forgiven her, as well as her family. She knew that if she wanted the peace she was looking for, she had to do this, she would have to make a sacrifice. So she went to the balcony and knelt. Good and bad memories started projecting on her mind like a movie and she could feel how her powers were flowing through her.

Arline felt how the idea of her started to fade away from the minds of everyone who knew her. It was tiring, her muscles were cramping, and her mind wanted to shut off once she finished but with tears in her eyes she called for Zeydar to take her to a hiding spot and spent the night there.

Pelagius had threatened not only her life but her family's, but she wasn't bonded to them anymore. Arline knew deep down, she did them a favor and the only memories of her were held by people back in Reiska.