To Be Wanted

Twisted Minds

      The Festival of Kings. I never understood why it was called that. The Festival of Kings is an event the Sevitan throw to celebrate the future ruler of Iveska, and the hope of one day finding them.
      However, if I recall correctly, the only previous ruler of Iveska was a female and it was prophesied that the next ruler would be a female as well, so why they decided to use King instead of Queen is beyond comprehension if you ask me... I am going off on a rant, aren't I?
      Anyway, Jet and I were looking forward to creeping about the party and listening in on what people believe the next ruler is going to look like, and it actually proves to be quite insightful.
      A couple of people were hopeful that perhaps the next ruler would have some sort of disability, from what I am aware I don't but there would be nothing wrong with that if I did, some believed that it would genuinely be a man, I am not, and one or two said they did not want a new ruler since they believed the economy would collapse if it suddenly were taken over by a king or queen. I am not quite sure about that last one but I do know that, for now, it is all speculation.
      In addition to the snooping around to listen to people's thoughts on the new ruler, I grew ever more excited to play the games they set up, after all, I am practically a dart-throwing champion.
      I still have, sitting upon a shelf in my room back at the foster home, a stuffed giraffe that I won by winning a dart-throwing game at the festival a couple of years back.
      Man, everyone was shocked that I won, typically these games are rigged to the teeth and even if you do win, the prizes are super cheap so they can make some decent money off of ticket sales, regardless I manage to nail each of the balloons in the row.
      I have started to wonder if it was my roots as a queen that has boosted my ability at throwing darts. Though, that is a little ridiculous, why would that be boosted specifically?
      Either way, it was a proud day that I hope to repeat, perhaps show off a little bit to Jet, show he is not the only one who can do cool stuff, or perhaps even a little friendly competition to see who can do better.
      Everywhere we would go, it smelled of hot dogs, cotton candy and this sweet little treat we call Lomaiio, it is a candied rose petal-shaped into a bowl, a small layer of chocolate inside, a seared mushroom ball atop that and then the whole thing is coated in some more chocolate. It tastes much better than it sounds, trust me.
      The festival was full of laughter and the sounds of the rides, I have always felt so comfortable here. Crowds were always sort of my place, I could get lost in them and I wouldn't feel so... Different. I cover up my wings with a cape, almost feeling like a superhero, and I prance about the festival happily.
      Jet watches in amusement as I giddily begin my attempt at the darts. I was like a kid in a candy store as the game manager hands me my darts. Once again, I nail every throw, earning a large fluffy penguin to keep my giraffe company on the shelf.
      I encourage Jet to try his hand at it, however, midway through I begin to get this chill down my spine. I look around through the crowds and notice someone standing in a corner, hood over their head.
      I watch as he pulls what looked to be a stun gun out of his pocket, however, this was much bigger and was glowing purple. It was also pointed straight at Jet. I try calling his name to get his attention, however the roar of kids and music playing overhead was far too loud for him to hear me.
      I shake Jet's arm, apparently making him miss his throw, and he turns to look at me. As soon as I see the guy's finger move over the trigger, I jump into Jet, causing him to stumble, however not actually fall.
      A loud bang echoes through the festival and people go dead silent, looking around in terror. Jet writhes on the ground in pain, tossing his head around in pain. He had been shot straight in the left shoulder blade.
      I gently touch his arm, trying to calm him down and it proves to be the entirely wrong thing to do as he proceeds to start screaming at me.
      I attempt to herd everyone away from Jet, as there were a whole lot of people who were visibly shaken up from the gunshot and sudden outburst from a random bystander.
      I was afraid too, a man who was far stronger than I had ever seen had become, I don't know, crazy? He wasn't himself, that much was certain. The guy was still standing in the corner so I race after him, tripping over people as I do.
      It was about time that I defended myself and my friend for once, after all, he had been doing the same for me and now he himself is hurt.
      I toss the cape off and fly after him as he proceeds to do the same with his hoodie. Of course, it was a Veltsen, I mean, in a crowd full of Sevitan, the one person sporting a gun to try and target Jet and I, what else would he have been?
      I manage to knock him out of the air and tackle him to the ground. He seemed so proud of himself, I mean he severely electrocuted the god of Protection so that he would go insane. That smug face of his... I would beat it to a pulp if I could.
      "What do you want with Jetimel?" I growl in his face. He looks behind me, grin growing bigger. Some sort of light made his face glow brighter. Something didn't feel right...
      "I've already got what I want." He laughs.
      "And what would that be?"
      "Might want to look behind you."
      Not wanting to run the risk of being attacked if I looked away from him, I use the jewel of the Snow Pendant to look behind me as it was pretty reflective. What I saw was the bright red and yellow that was a raging fire.
      My eyes widen and I dart my head around to look back. The festival was engulfed in flames and people were running about, screaming. The guy hits me upside the head before taking off, leaving me to deal with the ever-growing mass of flames that was now threatening thousands of people.
      Gripping the side of my head from the blow, I stumble my way through fallen pillars of burning wood, scorching sheets of metal and burnt bits of the various rides and attractions.
      The only person who I did not find running about in this mess was Jet. I doubt he would be able to in the state he was in. I fly up as high as I can without everyone turning into ants below me and scan the crowd.
      He was nowhere to be seen and I had no clue what could happen if he were to have run off after potentially having set the festival on fire. Unless that was something the Veltsen guy arranged.
      I land amongst the ashes and cinder and begin to feel rather dizzy, almost like I had when I first got the Snow Pendant. Or perhaps it was the knock to the head the guy gave me, either way, I found myself unable to stay conscious very long.
      I went back into that sort of dream world that I had been in before and I could hear some sort of voice echoing around me.
      "Must protect her, must protect her, must..." It repeated over and over again.
      It was Jet. He sounded so... scared. He appeared on the ground in front of me, curled into the fetal position and shaking. I carefully walk over and kneel beside him.
      He looks at me with teary, fearful eyes, and as I go to place my hand on his cheek to wipe away his tears, I feel another person's hand on my shoulder. I snap around and find my mother staring back at me.
      "Mom?" I blink, growing ever more confused.
      "Serrima, we have a problem." Her voice was echo-y too, though not in the same way as Jet. With Jet, it sounded more like sound echoing off of walls, with my mother, it was more ethereal- likely from the fact she is a spirit, it was almost enchanting.
      "What, besides a dude shooting Jet, causing him to set the Festival of Kings on fire?"
      "You need to wake up."
      "I know, what I don't know is how. This isn't like a normal dream, I can only wake up when the dream is over... Unless I have to die in the dream?"
      "What makes you say that?"
      "Well, the last time something like this happened, I was attacked by someone or something and was presumably killed."
      She looks me up and down before getting an idea. She mouths "Sorry." to me before gently placing one hand on the side of my jaw and the other behind my head. It clicks for me what she is about to do, so I shut my eyes as tight as I can manage and pray for no pain as she twists my head around to snap my neck.
      I jolt awake, I am now lying on the ground, covered in soot and coughing up a lung, and I just had my mother kill me in a dream so that the very real fire doesn't. Who else gets to say that? Oh stars, no-one I hope.
      The smoke became very thick, making the park where the festival was hosted barely visible. My eyes were watery from the smoke as I trudge around the burnt festival grounds.
      I cover my face with my wings as I roam around through the blistering heat. I manage to find Jet sitting under the remains of a building, he smelled of smoke and was covered in black soot such as I did. He was strangely calm, I began to wonder if somehow in my dream I was actually watching over him and my touch calmed him from his aggressive state.
      Regardless, he was still very jumpy, however not so bad that he might hurt someone. I help him out from his hidey-hole as the fires begin to die down and take his hand as we walk through the charred remains of what was once a place full of laughter and life. Stepping on the piles of ash almost sounded like snow, could this be what it is like on a winter day in the underworld?
      Or I guess perhaps a summer day since the Veltsen seem to be the opposites of Sevitan, white wings for snow, perhaps black wings for ash?
      Another pair of footsteps could vaguely be heard from behind us, causing Jet to begin getting riled up again. In my head, I just kept thinking "Really world? We are going to do this again?". Jet turned before I could, seeing another Veltsen, now with a bow and this time I was his target.
      Jet grabs me and spins me around as the bowstring is released, sending the arrow our way. Despite landing in the ground nearby us, it managed to nick and create a long cut across Jet's abdomen. He groans in pain, however, it seems to snap him out of his crazed daze.
      He grabs the arrow and launches it back at the archer, plunging it into the Veltsen's heart. As his body falls to the ground, I catch Jet tearing off a strip of his toga and wrapping it around the cut, wincing in pain as he does. He looks at me, catching me staring at his injury, and puts on a fake smile.
      "Are you alright, my queen?" He asks almost instantly. It was funny how he knew to draw the attention away from himself so fast. I reach out to gently run my hand over his wound in an attempt to take a look at it myself, however, he chuckles and quickly stops me. "It is nothing, your majesty. Are you alright?"
      "I want to learn to fight." The sudden notion startled him. It wasn't quite the answer he had anticipated.
      "You wish to learn how to fight?"
      "Yes. I could have easily prevented this from happening if I knew how to properly defend myself."
      "Let us talk about this at the High Grounds?"
      I nod. We decided to move back to High Grounds as it was getting rather dangerous to stay where we were given Altridem knew where we were hiding out, so it was seeming best not to stay.
      As soon as our feet touched the ground, I went over and said "Hi" to my little egg which was resting by the warm fire for incubation purposes. It now became a little... uncomfortable to be around the campfire after what Jet and I just experienced, however, the marrows seemed to be enjoying it.
      They swirled around happily in their egg and I could already tell they were going to be my best little buddies.
      "Are you sure you want to learn to fight, my queen? There is a reason that I am here and it is to protect you, that as been my purpose since the moment I appeared in my homeworld." He sits across from me. He was still in some visible pain, however, he seemed to be trying his hardest to hide it. It was amazing how much this guy could take just to maintain an appearance when around me. I sigh.
      "You keep taking hits for me, Jet. And after what happened today... There are going to be times where you can't be the one to protect me, maybe even the reverse, and I have to step up."
      "Alright then." He stands up, holding his arms out to each side. He had a weak grin on his face, likely the best he could manage in his state. "Hit me."
      "Wait, what?"
      "Come on, hit me. I have taken much worse over the years and if you are going to learn to fight, you need to practice your punches."
      "After what just happened? You are still hurting even now, are you insane?" I certainly wouldn't doubt if he still was.
      "Serrima. Hit me."
      He was starting to go pale. I hesitate, he is keeping something from me, I don't know what, but he is stubborn and I won't get anything out of him even if I asked.
      I give him a light punch in the chest, one of those sort of joke punches you do with friends, nothing serious. He actually chokes back a laugh, it was nice to see I amused him at least.
      "Oh please. For real now. I will know if you hold back." He taunts. I see a bead of sweat drip down his forehead.
      Then something happened that I really, really regret. My head begins to fill with an image of Altridem, standing there taunting me, it brought me back to when he kidnapped me. When he electrocuted me.
      I suddenly saw red, I clenched my fist tight and swung as hard as I could, actually managing to knock Jet over. He began panting pretty hard and he appeared as though he were going to throw up.
      He was too weak, he couldn't get back up. I rush over and check on him, he was definitely running a fever, I could tell even doing the old back of the hand trick to check.
      I shake my head angrily before practically ripping the ribbon he was using as a bandage off of him. The cut- by the stars, it was black with lines of an almost dark purple color spreading out through his body. I gasp.
      "Jet! What in the world happened?!" I exclaim worriedly.
      "The arrow was poisoned, I could see it from across the way. That's why I pulled you to the side, even if you had survived getting shot in the back with an arrow, you would have never survived the poison... and..."
      "And neither can you, can you?" I cover my mouth, tears dripping down my cheeks. "You... You told me once that you aren't completely immortal anymore. You can't die from old age or natural causes like disease... but poison isn't normal for you... you... why didn't you tell me?"
      "There is only one poison that the Veltsen are known to use and there is no cure for it. There is nothing you could have done, my queen."
      Jet goes limp, he was still breathing but it was as though he couldn't move. I actually started panicking. I place my hand under his head, lifting him up, hoping that it would help even the slightest bit
      He uses whatever energy he has left to lift his hand to my face and wipe away a tear, a faint smile on his face as he does. He breathes what seemed to be his last breath before his hand drops to his chest.
      I tried everything I could to get him to stay with me, everything mentally and everything physically that I had learned in school or on TV, all to no avail. Even the Marrows seemingly could sense it. I didn't want to believe it, but it became undeniable. I think... I think that Jetimel Fierlen, the god of Protection, is dead.