I don’t think I can hold my breath much longer.
My eardrums were being pounded by the pressure and my lungs begged for me to give in.
But I can’t.
Like my lungs cared about that. My mouth opened wide while my nose inhaled, both hoping to receive the one thing they wanted most. Instead, they were given the other most precious resource and element of nature – water.
As the water filled my lungs, through the waterfall of water I was entrapped within, a blurry figure approached the one who held my fate.
The figure threw a gust of wind towards my supposed executioner, making the water around me dissipate and letting me land to the floor. Finally, air.
“You don’t need to go this far to teach her a lesson!” Jaden could have been a Firelin with the fumes coming from him.
“I do not wish to harm to her, but I do this by Miss Leira’s orders.”
“And what? Leira wants to torture her and then kill her?”
Spurting out the last of the water, I picked up my swords and spun them around, happy to have them in my grasp once again. Sparring with Mintos has just been plain brutal. I’d prefer any of the other guards than him, but the others have been just as ruthless. At least with Garner and I fight with the same element and I’ve sparred with Jaden for so long that I’m not fazed by Shinju’s air attacks. And with Pane, he is just so nice, even when he is pinning me against the floor with a huge boulder. These past two weeks have definitely helped me improve, including to accept that I can’t always win. And to think I was one of the best at home.
“Jaden, relax. I’m not dead. ‘Any lesson is a lesson that’s useful,’ remember? How many times must we go through this?” So much for him accepting what I wanted. Ugh. And now I’m having a flash to that night in the spring bath…
“Until you realize that this would be the ‘doing stupid things’ your mother warned you to not do.” I could play his glaring game too.
Then we both looked to Ariel, who sat in a chair with her head resting on her hands. Sometimes she would be gone, off in some other part of the temple. She’d mentioned how she’d visit the garden in the back of the temple and how it flourished with bright green leaves. I guess her and Pane have had some fun together talking about the plants, but the garden is a luxury I don’t have time for.
“Ariel, a little help?” we pleaded, hoping for her to take a side.
She’d been flashing smiles for these past two weeks as much as she had been flashing frowns. When she would stay to watch me train, Ariel would sit there either amused at our endless bickering or frustrated with how we’d fail to give in to the other. But I wasn’t doing anything stupid. I’ve been biding my time, waiting for when I can get the answers I seek out of Leira. I’ve even told both of them this too. Why couldn’t Jaden just have patience?
This time though, the corners of Ariel’s mouth went downward. “Quit making me be the tiebreaker you guys. Jaden, it is Kyra’s choice on how she trains. We never commented on how you should train. And Kyra, he does make a bit of a point. You should try to be a bit more careful.”
“You sounded so wise there. Just like Miss Leira.”
“Wisdom is a good trait for her to have with such headstrong companions.” Leira appeared at the entrance, wearing a warm smile on her face. Mintos and Pane bowed their heads slightly as she passed them to sit in a chair next to Ariel.
“Headstrong is a bit too nice a word. More like blockheads,” sneered Ariel, trying to stifle a giggle.
Leira’s smile grew even wider. Over the past week, she’d been much more filled with smiles, especially to her guards. It had begun to make me think that maybe she did indeed have a kind heart like Pane has been raving on about. “Indeed. Such a word would suffice as well.”
“Hey, now wait a minute Ariel!” After placing my swords into my hilts, I walked over to Jaden and punched him in the shoulder. “Jaden, what did you and Row teach her during my lessons with Degon?!”
Apparently, whatever he taught Ariel was enough to make him forget all about whether I was trying to be killed by our hosts. That fact would have hurt me if I wasn’t so mad about the mischievous look he had as he shrugged his broad, and at this moment, unmanly shoulders.
“We didn’t teach her a thing. Maybe she just picked up a thing or two by watching Row and I at our best,” replied. The squirming of the corners of his mouth were enough.
I twitched my fingers, feeling the warmth of the flames flickering on and off at the tips of them. What did he do with my precious Ariel? “Jaden! What did you teach her?!” Feel lucky Row, Jaden’s going to get more than double since you’re not here.
“Ahem. As entertaining as I’m sure you’re spat would be should it escalate further, I have something I would like to discuss.” Prying my eyes away from my target, I turned to see Leira hunched into her chair, now looking weary.
Shoving Jaden away from me, I headed for one of the open chairs and positioned it in front of Leira and Ariel. “What do you want to discuss?” I slumped into my chair and crossed my arms. Maybe she could make me happier with some actual information instead of her ‘truthful, but learn absolutely nothing’ conversations.
Her eyes searched for Pane and Mintos and gave them both a curt nod. I could hear their footsteps as they disappeared into the rest of the temple, but where they were going wasn’t what was interested me. Leira had begun to sigh, revealing just how much she must have been through throughout her lifetime.
"There is a ritual I would highly recommend to you. It would require leaving the temple though."
"What kind of ritual?" asked Jaden, grabbing another open chair and placing it beside me. He sat down, not even realizing just how annoyed I still was with him.
Leira began to play with her sleeve. "It is a ritual you should not take lightly. However... should you choose to accept doing this ritual, Kyra, you will be one step closer to your future. Then again, no one can catch up with their future." A fog began to gloss over her distant eyes, bringing a calm wave over me.
"But what would she have to do?” Ariel leaned in a bit closer to Leira.
And then fog receded a smudge, just enough for her to realize where she was. With that, her strength came back instantly, destroying the serene atmosphere. “For one, objects as tribute will not be necessary. It is her life force, the aura past her Nature, which will be tested. It will be grueling, but it will allow you to possess powers very few have received."
Wait. "Powers like yours? Will I be able to see the future?"
"No, you will not be able to see the future. Knowing the future is a power unique to me as an individual."
"Ok... so then what is this ritual for?"
"The rewards are not worth mentioning until you receive them. It is the process that you need to be informed of. There is a small lake not too far off from here where it would need to take place. It would require you to head to the center of the lake in a small canoe to be recognized as one wanting to receive acceptance."
"That doesn't sound too grueling."
"That, my dear, is only the physical aspect. The mental aspect will be far more demanding than a few strokes across a body of water. When the sun begins to set, you will need this," she pulled out a worn strap of leather hanging around her neck. A round sapphire the size of child's marble hung upon the leather. ", to be able to call forth that which you will seek."
I followed the path of the sparkling sapphire as it dropped from her hand and into my waiting one. Was I seeing swirls? "And what am I seeking?" I asked as I stared into the stone’s depths, mesmerized by the sight in front of me.
Leira cleared her voice, but her words registered just barely. "The standing companion, and often times lover as well as enemy, of Mother Nature. This sapphire contains a small piece of his power which you can use to channel him. I can't promise success. If he believes you are a too much of a threat to him, he will hurt you, and the repercussions of his wrath... can vary greatly. This I know firsthand. The experience is different to every person who wants to become a priestess as well."
"What kind of wrath? Kyra, I would not believe a single word she says. Why should we trust her?" His complaining snapped me out of my trance.
Oh great. Here we go again... "Jaden, she knows what's to come and since we can't see what she sees first hand, all we can do is to try to trust her. If this ritual will help protect myself in the future, isn't that a good thing?"
"She does have a point, Jaden. Kyra can protect herself just fine, but if she ends up alone... anything would be helpful. If many priestesses have done it, it shouldn't be too bad,” piped in Ariel.
"I did not say many have succeeded in their attempts to gain this person's favor." The cold truth in Leira’s words resonated throughout the wide room, thrumming against the pit of my stomach. The feeling reminded me of the rush at the beginning of a fight, a rush which was thrillingly dangerous.
"That's not really helping," mumbled Ariel.
"This is crazy. All of this is crazy."
"Jaden..." I tried to reach for his shoulder.
He shied away, standing up and putting his chair between us. “Kyra, you can’t be serious about doing this, are you?”
“Well… It could be good to-“
“First you let Mintos almost drown you and now you’re up for some ritual that will most likely kill you?!” His shaking, clenched fists were stayed at his side, but even though he kept himself in place, the fury now driving him lashed out at me, hoping to make me submit.
But that was it. Jaden’s incessant complaints were enough. I stood up, making sure that both our chairs stood between us, but they were pointless barriers in such a situation. “By Nature, will you just shut it already? What happened to not forcing me to do anything? Or did you only say that because I almost completely undressed?!”
Jaden’s mouth stopped in its tracks. As I saw his cheeks flush redder, I could feel my own cheeks begin to burn. There was no point looking at Ariel or Leira to see their surprised faces. Looking would only add to my anger and embarrassment.
Then the silence took hold and our staring contest began.
But the contest didn’t last long. Layer by layer, his furious glare peeled away, revealing the worry and pain which churned in him. His hands unclenched, going limp.
“And you said would be careful and since then, not once have you done that,” he replied, solemnly kicking the chair away from him and then heading out the training room.
Silence consumed the room once more.
This was ridiculous. Yes, the ritual was dangerous, but there was one thing I seem have noticed that Jaden didn’t. Leira’s prophecy and visions prove that we are all still alive. I won’t let that prophecy come true, it can’t come true if I don’t have anyone I care for anyway, but at least it’s proof that if we go, I’m bound to survive. Plus, Leira is still keeping her secrets, secrets I’m not going to let her keep and I won’t let her think she knows what I’m going to do. I will win.
I brushed down the wrinkles of my sleeves. "We should leave tomorrow."
"Kyra?" questioned Ariel.
This time I took the chance to stare Leira down. Her eyes were filled with curiosity. I wonder how much determination she could see in mine? “Where would we be going?”
“To a lake that is a day and half’s ride from here,” she replied.
"If I decide to do this, then we would need to do it as quickly as possible. I refuse to stay out in the open where I'm a sitting duck."
Leira smiled along with a quick bow of her head. Then she waved towards the entrance.
“No need to worry, the boys are already out preparing for tomorrow’s travel.”