Heir of the Elements (9 page)

Faith, being a vegetarian, only put berries on her plate.

Falcon winced, wondering how she could ever go without meat.

“Is there a place for me?” asked the emperor. Before anyone could answer, he took a seat on the large dark chair that rested at the end of the square table. It was the same chair that had once belonged to Master K’ran. Despite his annoyance at this, Falcon remained quiet. He focused on his food and let his anger at the man dissipate.

“So…” said the emperor. “How goes the healing session, holy wielder?”

“Very good,” answered Sheridan. He seemed a bit happier than before. “She spoke a few words and even seemed to recognize her surroundings for a second.”

He reached into a bowl and took a pichion drumstick, taking a large bite out of it. “I wasn’t speaking to you, was I, boy?” His lips smacked loudly as he chewed with his mouth wide open.

Falcon took a deep breath. Obviously, the fact that Zoen had returned to Ladria had put the emperor back in his talking mode.

“We are making very good progress.” Faith gripped Hyromi’s hand proudly. “I have managed to clear much of the mist obstructing her mind. I’m sure that she will soon be able to recognize people.”

“That’s it!” The short man stood as he slammed the table with his fist. The bowls of food bounced before settling back down. “All these days and that’s all you have managed? To have her behave like a common chimp?”

Hyromi stood. Her body shook violently.

“Calm down, sir,” Faith warned. “Can’t you see you’re scaring her?”

Emperor Romus pointed an accusing finger at Faith. His wrinkled face turned a deep shade of red. “This wouldn’t be happening if you would only do your job properly. You’re a holy wielder. Where are all those legendary healing abilities I read so much about?”

“Don’t speak to her that way!” Falcon stood, sending the chair he’d been sitting on clattering to the floor. “She’s been doing a great job with Hyromi.” He stood face to face with the short man, fuming. “This is all your fault! This happened because of your insolence!”

“My head,” shrieked Hyromi. The next series of events seemed to last hours, though they were mere seconds. The princess swept her hand over the table, sending bowls, mugs, meat, blueberries, and soup to the wooden floor. They crashed with a bang. The soup and milk intermingled in a pile of slimy mush as it raced across the uneven wooden floor. “So much noise. My head hurts!” She crouched down, banging her forehead on the hard table surface.

“Stop!” The emperor hugged his daughter.

She twisted his arm and, with a firm push, tossed her screaming father backward into the living room. He staggered back and fell over a wooden stand. The flower pot that had, until moments ago, rested atop the stand, shattered on the floor.

Blood ran down from Hyromi’s forehead and down the side of her nose as she banged her head two more times.

Faith reached her hands around the princess and tried to pull her back, but even with Faith trying to hold her back, Hyromi still rammed her head into the table once more.

Falcon ran around the table, eager to get to his confused friend. Sheridan got there first.

Something strange happened. As soon as Sheridan’s hand landed on Hyromi’s shoulder she became as still as a rock. The entire cabin was ushered into a deep silence. Hyromi turned to Sheridan and took his hand as she stared into his eyes.

“I know you,” she said. “I…I was thinking about you. Looking for you. Saw you in my dreams.” Her hands reached around Sheridan as she took a step closer. Her head rested on his chest.

“Don’t touch my daughter!” yelled the emperor, as he struggled to pick his large body up from the ground.

Hyromi’s eyes widened. “Screams in my head. Screams in my head!”

Sheridan whispered something into her ear, and her eyes returned to normal, though she still retained a haunted look across her face.

Faith looked down at the red-faced emperor. Her finger came over her small lips. “Shhhhh. This is good.” She spoke in a hushed whisper. “She finally recognized someone. She’s making progress.”

The emperor looked as if he wanted to continue screaming at the top of his lungs. His eyes travelled from Sheridan, to Hyromi, to Faith, and then to Falcon. Still shaking, he got on his feet and stormed out the door. Doctor Solis took ahold of the door handle before he could slam it again.

“I think you should leave, too,” Faith suggested.

Falcon glanced around, trying to figure out who she was talking to. That was when he realized that she was looking straight at him. “
Me
?” He pointed at himself.

“Yes,” mumbled Faith. “You and the emperor were the ones who caused this. Your presence right now will only aggravate Hyromi.”

He lifted a finger, ready to protest, but a quick glance around the cabin made him think twice. It was a mess, and whether he liked it or not, a lot of the blame fell on him.

“Fine,” he said. Head hunched, he walked out the door, making sure to close it slowly as he stepped outdoors.

Why am I always screwing up?
He leaned over the white fence and took in the woodsy smells. The stars had come out full force this night, illuminating the sky with their glow. Looking up at them reminded him of the space wielder, the Ghost Knight. He’d last seen him months ago, but his words remained with him:
When I feel like I might lose myself, I think back to my most precious memories. You could try the same. Allow your dearest memories to become your barriers.

His brother had told him something similar when he told him to stop and listen without always being in a rush.

Albert? Where are you?
Most people believed Albert to be dead, but Falcon refused to believe that. He was sure his brother lived. If he could find him and speak to him, then maybe some of the rancor he felt would go away. There were so many questions he had to ask. Questions that, left unanswered, only served to fuel his already substantial amount of anger. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not hear Sheridan approach from behind him.

“Hey, Hyatt.”

Falcon turned, surprised to see him. “Shouldn’t you be inside? Hyromi needs you.”

“She fell asleep almost as soon as you walked out. I laid her on the bed. Aya and Faith are going to look over her.”

“That’s good,” said Falcon, feeling a bit relieved. “I was afraid I had screwed up things beyond repair. I’m good at that.”

“Don’t say that. You brought Hemstath. So in a way, you’re also responsible for the progress Hyromi has had.”

“That’s really reaching, isn’t it?”

Sheridan shrugged. “Perhaps. But like the Golden Wielder always said, ‘If you can’t find the light in the darkness, make your own.’”

“We’re going to need more than wise words to help Hyromi.” He thought back to that outgoing girl he’d known. His heart sank as he realized she was now lost forever. Never would she be able to smile the way she used to. Never again would she charm her way into getting what she wanted. Never would she be able to live a normal life. Instead she would always be a prisoner, trapped inside her own body, screaming to get out but never able to escape.

Sheridan stared directly into Falcon’s eyes, which made him feel a bit uneasy.

“When I was ten years old, I was walking through the flea market,” said Sheridan. “It is something I would do every morning. You know, head out and get the groceries for the meal of the night.”

Falcon nodded, wondering what the point of this story was.

Sheridan took a seat on the old tree stump. “Most of that day is nothing but a blur, but there is one thing that I will never forget.” His eyes turned dreamy. “That was the first time I saw her. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.”

“Yes,” agreed Falcon, not wanting to say what he really thought. Hyromi was beautiful, but to him, Faith and Aya were on a class of their own. “She does have a beautiful smile.”

Sheridan smirked. “Yes, she does. But that’s not what I mean.” He looked past Falcon and toward the stars. “My family has always been poor, but when I was a child, we hit an all-time bad. Both my father and mother had lost their jobs. They couldn’t afford to feed my brothers and me. Being the oldest, I decided that I had to do something.” His voice cracked ever so slightly. “I decided to kill myself.”

“Kill yourself!” asked Falcon, shocked. He certainly hadn’t expected such a revelation from his friend. “Isn’t that a bit of an overreaction?”

“You had no idea how bad it was. We were literally on the brink of starvation. With me gone, there would be one less mouth to feed.”

Falcon remained quiet, hanging on Sheridan’s every word.

“Anyhow. I found the perfect place. Do you know that bridge that overlooks the garden sector of the city?”

“Yes,” mumbled Falcon, thinking back to the red wooden bridge.

“Well, I was there, preparing for the jump. I had taken off my hat and shirt and thrown it on the floor. That’s when I heard the bells of the royal horses. Sure enough, when I turned, the royal family was rounding the corner and coming straight at me. The emperor, the royal guards, the councilmen. They all passed by me without bothering to glance at me.” His eyes lit up as he stared down at the grass. “In the rear of their group was Hyromi. And, without saying a word, she winked and tossed me a bag. At first, I was confused. Why would she give me this for no reason? But after a moment, it all became clear. She had seen the hat on the ground facing up, and taken me for a beggar.”

“What was in the bag?”

Sheridan looked up. “Fifty pieces of gold.”

“What?” asked Falcon, his head trying to register what he’d just heard. “Fifty? That’s a fortune!”

His friend nodded. “Yes. It was that gold that got my family out of poverty. But it was much more than that. I was a nobody. Just another nameless kid from the streets. Yet, the princess of Ladria had reached out to me. Do you have any idea how wonderful that made me feel? She is physically beautiful, yes, but that’s just a bonus. Her real beauty lies within. It is that beauty that I fell in love with all those years ago.” Sheridan perched himself by the gate. “I don’t mind in the slightest being there for her now, and for the rest of my life if need be.”

As Sheridan finished speaking, Hyromi’s scream rang out. “Where is he? Where is he? I saw him!”

Sheridan turned and rushed into the cabin.

Falcon pushed down the lump that had formed in his throat as he watched his friend disappear behind the door.

Chapter 10

Falcon wished that Faith and Aya hadn’t woken him up so early. He’d gone to sleep late and was still tired. He didn’t complain, though. They had already spent a week in the cabin. They needed to get on the road if they were going to reach Missea before a Suteckh attack.

Falcon knew the woods inside and out, so he led them through the narrow path that took them to the Nalia desert. Ideally, they would have travelled on horseback. Speed was essential; horses, however, were too loud and would be too easy to spot. Not to mention the fact that, in her current condition, Hiromy was in no shape to ride a horse.

“We’re going the wrong way,” said Hiromy for the third time in the last few minutes. “We’re going East, but Missea is West.”

Falcon was glad at just how quickly Hiromy’s speech had improved. The sessions with Faith and being around Sheridan had obviously boosted her recovery. Nonetheless, he wished she wouldn’t ask the same questions over and over again. They were becoming tedious.

“I told you,” said Sheridan. “We need to go to the desert first.”

“Oh, yes, right,” Hiromy said as she nodded her head eagerly. “I think I understand now.” She took a few more steps before voicing another inquiry. “What are we going to the desert for?”

“We can’t travel through the main roads to Missea because they are all being patrolled by the Suteckh,” Faith explained calmly. “We also can’t take any travel ships because those on the port are being inspected by the Suteckh. Which means we only have one option. Pirates.”

“Pirates are scary,” said Hiromy worriedly. She cringed and took Sheridan’s hand. Her scared eyes darted around her, scanning the many trees and bushes that surrounded them.

I can’t blame her
, mused Falcon. He also cringed at the prospect of seeking help from a pirate. They were just a lot of conniving thieves in his eyes. They cared for nothing but riches, fame, and gold, which was why now the Rohads found themselves headed into the desert in search of oil rocks. The dark rocks could power up a ship for weeks, sometimes even months. They were dangerous to obtain, but if they could get their hands on one, then they could exchange it for safe passage to Missea.

Aya held her hand up, signaling everyone to stop.

“I hear voices,” she said in a hushed whisper. “Sounds like a patrol.” She pointed to a large green bush to their right. “Behind there, everyone.”

The five wielders wasted no time. They ran and huddled behind the bush.

For a moment, Falcon was afraid that Hiromy might start talking and give away their position, but she remained silent.

Through the small gaps between the leaves and branches, he saw a group of a dozen men move at a steady pace. Two of them were mounted on horseback. They wore black uniforms with white helmets.

“They’re no patrol group,” whispered Falcon. “Those two are Suteckh commanders. No doubt they’re going to reinforce their Suteckh forces at Ladria.”

“I know,” said Aya. “But there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ll just have to let Zoen and the others figure a way to stop them. We have our own mission.”

Falcon cursed silently as the commanders and their escorts moved down the path and out of view. Letting the enemy simply walk away made him feel like a traitor.

Faith was the first to stand. “They’re gone. Let’s keep on moving.”

Annoyed but ready to press on with his quest, Falcon stood and continued to lead the small group. It was mostly a silent quest. Once in a while Hiromy would say something random about a passing bird, or comment on the flowery scent the lilacs they passed emitted. But that was it. Everyone seemed too tired, sad, angry, or discouraged to speak.

When they finally reached the end of the forest, the two suns were about to descend.

“I think we can keep on going for a bit longer,” Falcon suggested. “K’ran told me once that there is an oasis east of here. We should be able to reach it if we move at a steady pace.”

The wielders nodded and trudged into the desert. It was barren, with only a random cactus plant dotting the red sand. Large rocks burst from the ground in uneven formations, making it hard to see beyond a few feet.

I hope I don’t get us lost.
Falcon didn’t dare voice his worry out loud. The desert was large; any wrong turn could lead them in circles for hours, maybe even days. That was precious time they simply couldn’t waste. And to make matters worse, the entire landscape looked like a crimson puzzle with no beginning or end.

“It’s so beautiful!” Hiromy suddenly shrieked. She ran to a dry tumbleweed that had come to a stop by a prickly cactus. “It’s like a maze in the shape of a circle.” She moved around the tumbleweed, with mouth wide open. Her hand reached out to touch it, but at the last second she pulled back, as if the tumbleweed was much too precious to defile with human hands.

“It is beautiful.” Sheridan took her hand. “But we have to keep moving.”

She shook her head. For a moment it seemed to Falcon that she may burst out in one of her rants. But instead she waved goodbye to the tumbleweed and continued forward.

With each moment that passed, Falcon’s nervousness grew. The stars and crescent moon had come out now, and he had yet to spot the oasis. Instead, all they did it seemed was move from one shapeless rock to another.

“I see a palm tree up ahead,” said Faith. She pointed directly ahead, through an arched rock. “See it there?”

“Yes,” Falcon answered, feeling rejuvenated. It wasn’t the water from the oasis that made him glad. They had Aya for that. But the fact that they found the oasis meant that they were now only half a day away from the oil rock grounds. “Let’s set up camp there.”

Once they reached the small oasis, Falcon earth wielded a small shelter around the small pond and double palm trees. It was nothing special, just four simple earth walls that connected into a square. He left the top open so he could have a view of the night stars.

“Hey, Hyatt,” said Sheridan. “How about you get a fire going for us? The night is chilly.”

“Already on it.” Falcon made a small circle of rocks and tossed a few dry twigs into the center. He waved his hand over them and a small flame burst out.

Sheridan lay down his blanket. “Put up a cover, will you, Hyatt?”

“I’ll do that,” offered Faith. “Falcon is still having a hard time with holy, and I think today he would much rather rest a bit.”

“He’s never going to learn if he doesn’t try,” said Aya as she laid down her blanket. “He needs to train if he’s ever going to improve.”

“Holy isn’t like water wielding, Aya.” Faith waved her hand. “Malawi Lesotho.” A rainbow-colored, almost invisible sheet appeared over all the blankets. “There is a lot of feeling involved in it. Pushing when holy is still not wholeheartedly felt is a mistake.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Aya. There was a layer of annoyance in her voice.

“It means exactly what I said. Pushing through with training may be the method of choice for some basic elements, but it’s not what works for holy.” Faith took a seat and stared at Falcon. “What do you think, Falcon?”

Falcon looked from one girl to another. The fire suddenly felt hot. Very hot. Ever since they had met, they had been good friends. The two of them arguing, with himself caught in the middle, was not something he had anticipated.

“I…er…I…” He pulled down his collar so that felt as though it was chocking him.

“I’m going to have to take Hemstath’s side on this one,” said Sheridan.

Thank you, Sheridan.
Falcon took a breath.

Sheridan sat next to Hiromy. “I know the books say that they are the same, but the Ghost Knight told me that pushing an advanced element too much can actually be a step back in training.”

Aya narrowed her eyes. It almost looked as if she was going to punch Sheridan on the spot. But she suddenly took a seat and nodded. “I’ll take your word for it, then. You two are the advanced wielders, after all. I just hope you’re not making a big mistake, Faith.”

“Thanks for your concern,” said Faith. “But I think Falcon will be fine.”

Falcon remained silent, hoping that Faith’s trust wasn’t misguided. He wasn’t the only one. The entire camp fell eerily quiet, their heavy breaths the only sound that could be heard. Falcon fondly thought back to all those happy memories he had shared with his friends. Loud memories of jokes, banter, and conversations. He missed those innocent times. If only the Suteckh had never declared war. If only they had remained in their empire, then perhaps they would still be that way. But no matter how much he wished it, that would never be the case.

“I want to dance,” Hiromy suddenly blurted out, breaking the awkward silence. She stood and pulled on Sheridan’s hand. “Dance with me again.”

“She remembers!” cried Sheridan. He held Hiromy close as he slipped his hand around her waist.

“I know how to sing a little,” said Faith, shyly. “I usually don’t sing, but if it will help Hiromy, I’ll make an exception.” She cleared her throat and began to sing. “
Little wielder boy resting under the spruce. What are you doing, my little wielder? You took your mother’s love and ran away with it. Oh, my little wielder boy….
”

As Faith sang, Falcon stared at Aya, who looked down at the ground quietly. Remembering how much she liked to dance and hoping to make her feel a little better, he got up and walked to her. He held his hand out, without muttering a single word. There was no need to; she knew what he was asking.

She looked up at him with sad eyes, taking his hand and allowing him to pull her up into his arms. He held her close as he swayed to the slow-moving song. The strawberry scent of her hair and the touch of her warm arms gave his skin goosebumps in a thousand places.

With Faith’s soft voice in the background, he danced the night away in silence, hoping Aya wouldn’t notice how nervous he was.

~~~

The following morning, they got up before the first ray of light made it into their earth camp.

“Why are we moving so early?” complained Sheridan. “My legs need a rest from last night.”

“No whining,” said Aya. “We’re running late on our mission as it is.”

Frowning, he got up and rolled his sleeping bag.

The rest of the morning they moved over the windy sands. The occasional weathered tree was the only thing that interrupted the usual scenery of tall cacti, large rocks, and dry tumbleweeds.

“I think I see it there,” said Faith.

Falcon narrowed his eyes, trying to make out what Faith was pointing at. It didn’t look like much, just a blob of black off in the distance.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes, I am.” She frowned. “But I also sense something dark there.”

Sheridan smirked happily. “That’s good, isn’t it, Hemstath? You sense something dark, and the black coals are dark. Makes sense.”

“That’s not what she means, Sheridan,” said Aya, rubbing her temples. “I think she means something more like a being, or a creature.”

Faith bobbed her head.

Falcon refrained from speaking. They were all tired, not to mention sleep deprived. The hot air blowing around wasn’t making things any easier. He was certain that all these things were playing with Faith’s head. It made no sense whatsoever that someone would make a home around the oil rocks. Miners were known to make seasonal camps around the oil grounds, but that was only during the frost, when mining was safer because of wild animals staying in caves to hibernate. But right now they were in the middle of the scorch season. No one should be this deep in the desert. No one in their right mind, that is.

As they moved closer to the dark blob of matter, Falcon began to rethink his stance. The shapeless blob now became countless dark rocks that glittered brightly under the suns. From afar, it looked as if a sea of stars had fallen from the sky and condensed in that very spot. A large, dark wall of rock that went up over one hundred feet was directly beside the pile. No doubt, the wall had supplied all the oil rocks beside it.

“What in Va’siel is that?” asked Sheridan, referring to a large brown mound above the rocks. It moved up and down, almost as if it were breathing.

Tentatively, the young wielders took quiet steps forward. The closer they got, the louder the snoring became.

That was when Falcon realized the truth
. That’s no rock.
It’s a sandworm!