The Wielder and the Source

Chapter 32

Kitaya wished she could relate to what Jayer was saying. But she'd never had that kind of relationship with Nylarah or Mellidius. The former devoted her life to serving the gods and was barely around. The latter was far too strict for her liking.

"Alright," she said with a nod. "We'll go with your plan, Jayer."

"If you two are done squabbling," Fukami said. "We're almost there."

Kitaya looked forward in time to see the silhouette of the town on the eastern horizon. "We should land here."

"Why?" Jayer asked.

"We can't fly into the backlands on this," Jetei said, before Kitaya could answer. "It will be too suspicious. And in this place anything suspicious is bad."

Fukami took Sora down in an easy glide and they landed in the tall grass. They chirping and singing of insects drowned out the crunches of Jayer and Jetei's feet and they slid from the cloudwalkers back.

"Be careful out there," Kitaya said. "And if you find Aldeheid, bring him to us."

"I'll drag him by his hair if I have to." Jayer gave a smile, and he and Jetei headed east, disappearing in the sea of grass.

Kitaya sent up a small prayer for both their and Aldeheid's safety. They were back in the sky a minute later, this time heading north. The ruins were miles away from the town, deep withing a thicket of forest that had overtaken the vacant land.

"Kitaya," Fukami said, drawing her attention. "Did you all have a fire fight last night?" he nodded at the tiny wisps of smoke and the scorched land occupying the area where the ruins used to be.

"We didn't."

***

Kitaya strapped Aldeheid's sword to her back as they landed outside of the ruins. The day was ripe with sunshine and crisp breezes, and her heart ripe with fret. The cloudwalker knelt so she could slide from its back. Her knees were still weak, but she stood upright long enough to take in the scene. As she walked along, grass and underbrush gave way to soot-soaked destruction.

The ruins had been reduced to ash, along with miles of forest surrounding it. The charred remains of trees and structures stood like black silhouettes in the daylight. Every footfall sent up a small cloud of ash, and heat still rose from the ground to warm the soles of her boots. She pulled her shirt up over her nose to filter out the acrid smoke that still curled from the debris.

"Good gods," Fukami breathed, as he floated alongside her. "He did this?"

Kitaya stepped over a tree that had been reduced to charcoal. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was responsible." She thought back to Aiisha, when he'd taken down that monolith... and nearly died. No, he's okay, she reminded herself, looking down to make sure her mark was still intact.

Fukami pressed a finger against her against her brow right where it was furrowed. "Do not fret, Kitaya. If Aldeheid did all this, then there's a good chance he escaped and made it back to the town."

"You're right." She exhaled and stuffed her marked hand in her pocket so she would stop looking at it.

"Here." He hopped off his bag and offered it to her. "You should rest a little. You're still not sure on your feet. Should we search the area or settle down to wait for Jayer?"

She sat on the floating bag with a muttered thanks and bit down on her thumb nail. "We'll set up a base camp at the edge of what forest remains and wait. I want to know if he's safe before I start looking." And panicking.

"Sounds like a plan." He floated off the ground, and they drifted north. "There's actually something I wish to speak to you about. For your ears only, my dear."