Strange Beasts || Novella

XVII

Raina was not having as much luck as her brother when it came to things going smoothly. A sharp ringing sound pierced her ears, echoing in every chamber of her mind. Fingers outstretched, the instinctual need to check on her brother jolted what little energy she had, forcing her eyes to open.

With every inhale, her eyelids grew heavier making it harder to stay focused. The ringing had only gotten worse as a small part of her logical mind tried to piece together what had happened.

"Raina!"

I need to find Rami, she reminded herself.

Yet even as she tried to lift her head, she knew that it was impossible. Accessing her connection with her Beast like that and using it as a medium to connect with the dragon had almost drained her completely. All she remembered was the desire to show the dragon what freedom could look like. Whether that was successful or not was another question entirely.

"Rami," she mouthed, her voice croaking in the silent aftermath of their battle.

"Raina!"

Using the last of her conscious energy, Raina sought out her Beast once more, trying to find any sort of connection to make it promise to take Rami home. Coughing, her head fell limply to the side, eyes surveying the damage that had been caused. Without really processing it all, she allowed herself a moment to be present. The Kingdom with its many secrets and hidden wonder had brought her a lot of pain, but it also managed to awaken a part that she thought had been lost when her mother died.

The crazy optimism, innate desire to live with childlike imagination and determination, all aspects of her mother's personality that Raina had the fortune of immortalising in memories. They were partly the reason why she was so protective of Rami, for he had inherited more than their mother's spirit, he embodied everything she had wished for her children and more. She hoped that wherever her mother was, she was proud of her.

It was with that thought that Raina stopped resisting and allowed her eyes to close.

"RAINA!" Akkian yelled, panic dripping from his voice. Staggering with his injured arm he forced his feet to make the journey towards the little girl. Having witnessed the brilliance that was her power, he mentally scolded himself for not teaching her more about control. But as he barely understood the magic himself, what hope did he have to convey it all in one day? There was no doubt in his mind about her true identity, which made it all the more important to get her out of here and to safety.

Mouth dry, one hand clutching his shoulder, he fell to his knees next to her body. Empaths were rare; one with the natural power that Raina had were simply unheard of. It was no wonder that she had linked with such a strong Beast, the likes of which hadn't been seen for years.

"Raina," he mumbled, turning her around gently so that she was on her back. He wanted nothing more than for her to open her eyes and give him a reproachful look, or a raise her eyebrows questioningly at his concern. To think of what her brother would do if he saw her now was far too painful, but it would be a reality he'd be forced to face if Akkian allowed the child to give up.

Leaning down, he took a couple of deep breaths and whispered the same words that were once spoken to him on his darkest day.

"The strength to continue is nothing without the spirit that holds you. From the Earth we are born. Let it guide you, heal your wounds so that you may live to protect it another day."

Blinking away the moisture in his eyes, Akkian froze, unable to lift his head and look at the damage that had been caused. Saying the words aloud was never something that he thought he'd have to do. It was a rite of passage, one where a child embraced their spirit and let go of their infancy.

"Hey! Watch it!"

Akkian lifted his head at the sound of commotion in the otherwise silent night. At first he could not make out what was causing the disturbance, but then he saw the familiar glint of a multicoloured mane and dark eyes that were trained on the little girl. The Beast ran towards them both, refusing to slow down until it was close enough to see Raina properly. For years, it could not step foot inside the City Wall, due to the powerful Beasts that had control over every inch.

But with Raina's actions, they were no longer bound by their masters who lay unconscious on the ground. Akkian watched as the Beast performed another ritual that hadn't been seen since the last Guardian vanished during the Great Rift. He backed away, eyes trained on Raina for any sign of movement. The Beast leaned down and pressed it's head against hers, using its mind to strengthen the lingering connection that remained.

At first nothing happened.

The Knight was certain that they were too late, but just as he was about to speak up, Raina head began to glow in the spot where it touched her. A warm soft light that spread down her body, healing every fibre that had exhausted itself during the confrontation.

Rosiness returned to her cheeks, as the life that had been drained trying to save others had been restored. After all, she had taken not out of selfish desire but to restore the Balance that had been lost for so long.

"Raina?" Akkian asked when the Beast finally moved away, its presence still domineeringly protective over her. It gave a warning look to the dragon, but it need not worry since the dragon bowed and backed away from them both.

"Rami?"

Akkian grinned, before letting out a laugh, relief washing through him.

"Sorry, not this time," he replied as she opened her eyes. She looked far better than she had for a long time. The burden of being a parent, pain of losing her mother, desire to be practical because the world required it; she was free of it all. Raina sat up glancing around at the terrible mess their encounter had led to.

"What happened? Where's Rami?" She asked, her eyes widening at the sight of her Beast. In that moment it all came rushing back to her. The fight, the dragon, using her Empath abilities to remind it of their shared power source and freedom. Suddenly Raina couldn't help herself and jumped up to embrace her Beast. Putting both arms tightly around its colourful mane, she let her heart thank it in ways that words could not do justice.

A small cough reminded her that she was not alone. Glancing at the Knight, she held out her hand to which he frowned at curiously.

"You shake it," she explained, as it dawned on her how strange the custom was.

Akkian narrowed his eyes, but he took her hand in his own and bent down on one knee. "It was an honour fighting with you," he said, resting his forehead against the back of her hand.

"Will you be okay?" Raina asked, knowing that this part of the journey was something she had to complete alone. Partly it was due to Akkian's sustained injuries, but also because the Knight was not permitted to enter the Castle walls. Neither one wanted to risk it, but the unspoken goodbye lingered in the air as they regarded one another.

"Any chance you have that magic healing power for me?" Akkian asked tilting his head as Raina let go and mounted her Beast.

With a soft smile and a twinkle in her eye, she lifted an eyebrow in reply.

"Ask the dragon. I need to find my brother," she said and with that she urged the Beast to head towards the castle where she knew her brother was in need.