Egon Wood ( E Gon )
Pet: Lion Mercury ( Mer Cur Re)
Theresa Ashdown ( Tha Ris A )
Pet: Panther Nyx ( Nics )
Rayner Moonfall ( Ray Ner )
Pet: Bear Ares ( Ar Es )
Ceridwen Vix ( Care A Dwhen )
Pet: Owl Snow ( Snow )
Mali ( Mal E )
Mace Kane ( Mace )
Pet: Horse Nilas ( Neil Ass )
Duzna ( Duz Na )
Vestomer ( Ves Tom Ear )
Adisa Rathmore ( A Dis A )
Salina Mortem ( Sa LI Na )
Lilith Calarook ( Lie Lith Cal A Rook )
Rolland ( Roll Land )
Nassar Thornton ( Nas Sar )
Cecelia Clayhem ( Ce Cil Lie A)
Synth Clayhem ( Sin Th )
Chapter Nineteen: Forgive and Forget
Nassar jerked that flap of the tent upward and tucked under. As he emerged from the massive white tent into the beaming afternoon sun, he was met by the Magic Born, awaiting information.
Nassar scanned the area and a wave on confusion plastered his face.
"Where are the animals?" He asked.
"Snow and Nyx?" Theresa said. Nassar shrugged his shoulders as if saying 'Yes, if that's what their names are'.
"They don't stay with us all the time, they live their lives and we live ours. It only when we need them that they race to our aid, mate." Mace informed.
"Well then, follow me to your tents" Nassar brushed passed the group, bumped into Mace and whispered into his ear. "And don't "mate" me again, got it?"
Mace gritted his teeth and thought, If I weren't injured I'd teach that blood cockroach a lesson. He fought back his urge to incase Nassar in a glacier and said.
"Got it."
Theresa and Egon followed Nassar, as Lilith helped Mace hobble behind them. Nassar stop about twenty yards down from the tent he had just exited.
"The girls will stay in here," Nassar opened the flap of the tent he stood before. "Boys there." He then pointed to another tent which was set up directly to the left.
Lilith handed Mace over to Egon and the icy Magic Born slouched down onto Egon's shoulder, trying to balance his weak body. Lilith shot a gaze toward Theresa, and they disappeared into the tent.
Nassar smirked in annoyance, as if he was babysitting infants, and walked back toward Rolland's tent.
"Well he's a jolly little─"
"Mace..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just get me to the bloody tent!" Mace growled as Egon helped him into their tent.
***
Theresa plopped onto the bed nearest to the entrance, as Lilith studied the area. There were three more beds in the tent, one by Theresa and two more directly opposite, with enough space in-between to walk.
A giant wooden support pole was dead center of the tent, holding up the massive fabric, which created a sloping roof of snow white material.
The grass, under foot, was a light shade of brown, which foretold the coming of a frigid winter. Lilith strolled to the massive pole, latched her arm onto it, and spun around to face Theresa.
"So...what's the deal with you and Rayner? I understand why Ceridwen would be bitter, but why you?" She slowly sunk onto the hay filled mattress, beside Theresa.
Theresa dropped her gaze to the moon shaped scar that was seared into her bicep. She rubbed the burn mark and frowned.
"That day, at the gathering, when Rayner and Ceridwen recused me, I thought I'd be safe forever. I thought he..." Tears began to form in Theresa eyes, turning her dirt colored irises into a muddy river. "I thought he would keep me safe forever..." She turned away from Lilith and wiped her eyes dry. "But when he showed up with one of Duzna's pawns by his side all the hope drained away..."
Lilith reached out to comfort Theresa, but Theresa pulled away. "What if Adisa has changed with if she─"
"No! I don't trust that witch, and I don't know if I can trust Rayner again...not after he brought that treat into our lives." Theresa snapped.
Lilith grabbed Theresa shoulders and turned her around. "Listen...If you trusted him before, why would he bring Adisa here if he wasn't one hundred percent sure she wasn't going to hurt you?"
Theresa's brain buzzed with thousands of thought and emotions all at once. Part of her wanted to side with Lilith's point of view, but the other half still flowed with a will to not trust Rayner.
"None of this matters right now, all that matters is that we are ready for Vestomer's army. And we can't be ready if we don't prepare..." Theresa sprang up and headed for the door, but stopped when Lilith's voice echoed through the tent.
"You can train all you want, but if you're on the battle field with people you don't trust you'll never be prepared."
Theresa's expression of anger melted, for a split second, into a puddle of fear. Then quickly molded its way into fury, again, and Theresa stormed out of the tent.
***
Adisa's eyes exploded with life. Everything around her glowed, until her eyes adjusted to the faint flame the flickered from an oil lamp, suspended on a chain beside the bed she laid in.
As her pupils dilated she realized who was looming over her.
"Hello dear. Sorry for our...misunderstanding..." Cecelia said as she flashed a sheepish smile.
"How are you feeling?" Rayner emerged from the shadows of the tent and beamed at her.
"How would you be feeling if all the oxygen was sucked form you lungs?" Adisa barked, her words coming out a little harsher then she intended.
Rayner's cheek lit up the color of Ceridwen's ruby. "Right, sorry..."
"Now young lady don't be so crude, this young man saved your life." Cecelia said, which made Rayner blush even harder.
"Well I wouldn't say saved...I just─" Rayner was cut off.
"Take credit for your actions boy." A man, who Adisa had not noticed before, spoke up. He stood in the corner of the tent using a shining silver blade to slice pieces off an apple and pop them into his mouth. "If Rayner hadn't been there to tell me Mali sent y'all, you would be dead." He stepped over toward Adisa.
"We've had problems with intruders, before..." Cecelia said, her expression dropping into a pit of gloom.
"Our spouses were murdered by looters and thieves, when the outpost was raided years ago." The man, still chomping on the apple, said as if the situation was a distant memory, as if it was irrelevant.
Cecelia stood and walked out without another word, obviously more bothered then he was.
"I'm Synth, if you need anything just call, and Cecelia or I will come." Synth said as he catapulted the lasted piece of the apple into his mouth, sheathed his knife, and rushed after his sister.
Rayner sat down on the edge of the bed and stared off into corridor of thoughts.
"Thanks flames." Adisa said to Rayner, throwing in a little nick-name.
A massive smiled rooted onto Rayner's lips when he heard her teasing him.
"For what?"
Besides saving my life..." Adisa smiled and for once her eyes didn't speak of despicable hate. "For believing me even when your friends didn't, and when they turned away you stuck by my side...I've never had anyone do that for me..." Adisa slid up until she was inches away from Rayner's face. "Thankyou." She leaned in, closed her eyes, and kissed him.
He quickly pulled away, and Adisa's eyes shot open. He stared at her in bewilderment, as heat consumed both of their cheek, until they were as red as a rose.
Rayner finally stammered onto some words and pushed them into the air. "Get some sleep, I'll check on the others..."
He rapidly stood from her bed and walked under the flap of the tent and into the afternoon sun.
***
Theresa walked in the pathway of the outpost, congested by tents, until she came to an opening. Before her lay a vast sea of grass, wilting as the winter advanced. In the field three circular targets were set up, with a black dot painted in the center.
Theresa wiggled her diamond free from its position in her wristlets. The sun navigated its way through the gem and reflected onto Theresa's face. She closed her eyes and fist, then whistled. When she reopened her eyelids Nyx was standing before her.
"Still amazes me how you do that." Theresa said as she rubbed under Nyx's chin.
You can move objects with your mind, but you're amazed that I come when I'm called? Nyx said, transferring her thoughts to Theresa's mind.
Theresa glanced at her, as if saying 'very funny' then wedged the diamond back into her wrestled and unsheathed two of her blades.
"Come on then, let's get to work." Theresa mounted her panther. "We'll need to know how to fight together, if we want to stand a chance against Vestomer's army." When the words left her mouth, Lilith's words rang in the back of her mind.
'If you're on the battle field with people you don't trust you'll never be prepared'
Nyx purred and Theresa snapped out of her thoughts. Are you ok? Nyx asked.
"I'm fine. Let's go." Theresa said out loud.
You realize I can read your thoughts... Nyx replied.
"I said I'm fine, now let's go!" Theresa roared, and Nyx could sense the anger behind her words.
Nyx bolted toward the targets. As Theresa rode on her panther the wind combed her fingers through Theresa's hair, detangling the tornado of black that flowed behind Theresa's head. She focused her eyes on the center target and flung on the blades towards the black dot.
As the knife began to veer off course Theresa used her powers and willed it back on track. Thonk, the sound of the blade sinking into its target echoed into Theresa's ears and Nyx turned around so they could repeat the process.
As the panther whirled around to face the outpost, once more, Theresa thought, Stop. Hearing her request Nyx dug her claws into the ground and halted.
Standing before Theresa was Rayner, his hair whipping in the wind and belt dangling on his hip.
"Theresa." Rayner yelled as he raced to her side, but before he could come within arm's reach Theresa hurled and knife towards the ground, stopping him in his tracks.
Nyx could sense the tension between them and snarled. Rayner dropped his gaze toward the blade sticking out of the mud, then back to Theresa.
"Really...? It's come to that, almost skewering my foot?" Rayner said removing the knife from the ground and twirling it in his palm.
"If I wanted to hit you, trust me, I would have!" Theresa calmly threatened, as she extended her arm and forced the knife to jump back to her hand. As the blade left Rayner's grip and flew towards Theresa, a tiny cut was sliced into Rayner's palm. "Oops..." Theresa smirked.
Rayner winched a bit and grabbed his hand. "Classy." He retorted at Theresa as she sat, shoulders straight, chin high, on the back of Nyx. "Look, I know you're mad at me for bringing Adisa here, but don't be mad at her. Give her a chance, anyone can change, if it's for the better...or the worse..." Rayner turned and began to walk away.
When those words entered Theresa ears, she dropped the I'm-mad-at-the-world act, and slid off of Nyx. She opened her mouth to stop him from walking away but her tongue was dry, and she couldn't find the right words to say.
Theresa turned around as Rayner disappeared into the outpost, and brushed her hands through Nyx's fur.
You should listen to him..., Nyx's voice rang in Theresa's thoughts.
"I know." She said as she mounted Nyx and they raced back toward the outpost.
After checking four tents that Adisa was not in, Theresa finally stumbled across the Infirmary Adisa rested in.
As Theresa pushed back the flap and tucked in Adisa perked up at the noise, as if she was expecting someone. But as soon as she saw who it was, a scowl exploded onto her face.
"Rayner's not here!" Adisa growled and rolled over on her side, away from Theresa.
"I'm not here to see him..." Theresa informed. When Adisa heard those words she stood and walked over to meet Theresa face-to-face.
"What could you possible want form me?" Adisa barked, then weakly fell back onto the bed.
"I want to say," Theresa stopped and rubbed her scar, remembering the day Duzna seared the white hot iron into her skin. ", I wanted to say I'm sorry..."
Adisa's expression changed as she saw Theresa nervously rubbing her scar.
"You too?" Adisa said holding out her wrist, reviling the same scar. "The day of the gathering he told me that if I wanted to safe my family, I'd have to serve him."
"But Rayner said─"
"That I volunteered? Yeah everyone seems to think that..." Adisa's voice trailed off.
Theresa inhaled slowly, trying to think of the right words to say, then she exhaled and spoke. "I should've never treated you the way I did, everyone deserves a second chance, no matter how corrupt their past was they can always strive for a better future."