Eloria

Chapter 5

I stared at Darius in shock. He said her name. He knew her name.

"H-how." Darius cut me off.

"Aria, did you forget who I am? When I have questions, they are answered one way or another." He made no change in the direction he was facing. I began to realize that I truly knew nothing about the stranger sitting beside me.

"Is that why you needed to see Mr. Beckett?" I asked, not fully expecting a response. Darius turned to the sound of my voice. As he spoke his eyes bore into mine, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't look away.

"Those killed by an elemental become one themselves. Those who kill an elemental become eternally cursed." Our eye contact continued for what felt like a life time. Neither of us dared to look away first. I only escaped the pull of his eyes by luck of the ringing church bell.

"What... is that supposed to mean?" Darius turned away once again. The silence of the chapel lingered, almost tauntingly, until he spoke again.

"There was a student who believed being Blessed meant being protected. He mistook a gift for a weapon. One day, he broke the timeless rule. He killed an elemental in times of peace. The elementals never forget when the blood of their brothers is spilt. It is a debt that can only be paid in death. When the student realized his mistake, he tried to hide. He thought that changing his name and starting a family would be enough to create the protecting he thought he had. While it may have worked temporarily, it could never be a permanent solution. Zaida paid the debt her father never should have created." As I registered what Darius was saying, my mouth opened wider and wider. If what Darius claimed was the truth, everything about the "accident" changed. Zaida had been killed by an elemental who was avenging the wrongful death of another.

"Mr. Beckett... is a Blessed?" Darius offered a simple nod.

"Mr. Beckett was one of the finest students. But, he was a foolish, careless boy. It is a shame I didn't see the signs sooner." 

"He was your student."

"That he was."

"So why comeback now? Isn't the debt paid?!" The anger slipped into my voice like the blood had slipped from her neck. Zaida had paid the debt, hadn't she? We had grieved for a year. I didn't understand what more Darius or the elementals wanted. I considered getting up and leaving. Why was Darius telling me this? All I wanted was to move on, not continue to rub salt into the still open wound. His business, whatever it may be, was with Mr. Beckett. Not me. 

"Aria, I wish it was that simple."

"Seems simple enough to me." I scoffed. Darius let out a long sigh.

"You're going to be a pain in my ass." I was shocked at his sudden use of profanity. Especially in the church. Darius noticed my surprise and released a small chuckle. His mood quickly shifted back into his monotone and unreadable expression.

"Did you hear anything? That day I found you by Zaida's grave?" I pondered his question. I couldn't think of anything besides the occasional rustle of leaves or quiet chirp from the curious birds. I answered as such. Darius looked disappointed. 

"Perhaps I was wrong." He stood to leave. I reached out to grab his robe in an attempt to stop him when an intense burning light seared my vision. I laid writhing on the floors while I watched what seemed to be an intense battle. I recognized elementals and some other type of creature ferociously fighting. In the midst of the pain, I had to stop and consider what I was seeing. How did I know that was an elemental? Better yet, where had I seen this? The pain faded once Darius slapped me across the face. I shot up immediately. 

"What. Was. That." 

"A test."