Spring of Discovery (Celestia Chronicles Book 1/Seasons Arc: Book 1)

Chapter 12: Heart of Stone

While Arda was talking with some newcomers and everyone else was discussing Saje, Jade was still in shock over what she was looking at. Her neighbor, one of the sweetest men in the world, was lying on the ground with her sword sticking out of his chest. The minute she sat, staring, felt like an eternity of emotional anguish. She had crossed the line she had never wanted to cross.

Jade felt a hand on her back. It was warm and hopeful. She turned away from the man she killed to see Serenity trying to comfort her. She did not hear the words but she could tell the tone was sincere. As she tried hard to make out the words she noticed the golem she had attacked, mortally wounded but still alive. She walked over to it and placed her hand on it; she could feel its energy draining. She focused her own energy and sent it into the golem. Then she gathered mud from a nearby puddle and placed it over the huge crack in his body. The mud turned to stone and Jade let out a sigh of relief.

"Why did you do that?" asked the golem. "I was your enemy."

"I already allowed one to die by my hand," said Jade. "I won't allow another."

"Your compassion is not a trait your enemies will share," said the golem. "To fight them you will need a heart of stone."

"I couldn't disagree more," replied Jade. "Compassion is what makes us better, what makes us stronger."

The golem smiled. "It is an honor to be in your presence, Chosen One."

"How-"

"Your power. Your energy. Truth be told I went to seek you out to help you but I was captured and manipulated by a dark general."

"Galof," said Gremdar under his breath. "He has a way of controlling innocents. Combined with his ability to create shadow soldiers, you can never tell if the one you are fighting is a converted friend or artificial foe..."

Jade examined the body of Liase, now understanding how he came to be like this. "Did they attack Cresalda?"

"That's where I was headed when I blacked out" Said the Golem. "I can't remember much besides fighting you, the worst part is, it felt like I was the one in control when looking back I wasn't."

"Well it's good to have you here now, Flint," said Arda.

The Golem looked up at Arda and smiled. "It's been a long time, Arda."

"I wish we could meet under better circumstances. I need to talk to you in private." Arda then turned to the man at her side. "See to it that my family and friends are taken care of."

"As you wish, Arda," replied the man.

He then approached Jade, who examined him closely. He was tall with pale skin that had a shine to it. His ears were pointed and he wore a crown of twigs and gems. An Elven king!

"My name is Belsy," he said. "I am the leader of the Elven sanctuary and would be honored to assist the family and friends of Arda any way I can."

Two more, one elf and one not, had approached the body of Liase. "What are you doing to him?" asked Jade, her tone somewhat frantic.

"Please forgive me," said the teenage boy. "I merely wanted to move his body somewhere appropriate. Is he special to you?"

"He was my neighbor before he became controlled by evil," replied Jade. The mere mention of this made her sick.

"We will bury the body respectfully," said the boy. "He deserves a final resting place."

Jade walked over to the body and lowered Liase's eyelids. She removed the sword from his chest and draped her own traveling cloak over his body. She then noticed a woven bracelet on his wrist and removed it. Something to give to his family, if she found them. She put the bracelet on her own wrist and looked at Liase one more time before placing the cloak over his face. "I'm sorry," she said hoarsely.

The boy approached Jade and produced a cloth. "Here, to clean your sword."

Jade turned it down and said, "No, I want this blood to be the only blood I will draw. I will never kill again."