36. Chapter 36
36
T he wind screamed past my ears as we raced faster and faster, leaving the dragon behind with its broken and bloodied body, its screeches of anger and pain fading with the wind. A fleeting pang of pity stirred within me as I glimpsed back at the creature struggling with its broken wing, but I quickly banished the thought, recalling the malevolence I had sensed emanating from it.
I clung desperately to the wolf's mane, fighting to maintain my grip as it bounded, ducked, pivoted, and sprinted with relentless energy. Before I could fully comprehend our trajectory, we were in the air, leaping from the highest boulder and landing on the side of the mountain.
The wolf's breaths were deep and ragged as it began scaling the slanted mountainside, overlooking the vast expanse of the dragon's dark, pebbled domain below. A lump caught in my throat at the height of the mountain, and I pressed my legs more tightly against the beast's sides, holding on for life.
In the distance, I spotted another contestant making their way toward the spot where Osric's dead and blistered body lay. Yet, even as we continued our ascent, the dragon continued its pursuit, its massive and tattered body slowing it down. Its claws gouged deep into the mountain and spewed billows of poisonous smoke our way, but it was caught by the high wind and swirled away.
A deep grumble roared from the dragon's mouth as we rounded the steep range onto a landing. The wolf abruptly stopped, launching me off its back, and I landed with a thud, a loud groan escaped my lips. Ignoring me, it began madly digging and clawing at the mountain's edge, sending dirt and rocks flying off the side. The wolf dug faster and faster, jumping slightly as more debris scattered around the now-soft ground gouged out in the center and slumped. Suddenly, it stopped and leaped toward me, nudging me to climb back on.
The wolf sprawled on the ground to help me get on its back, and I did so with great effort. As soon as I was on, it stood up and sprinted away just as the dragon's claw slammed down right where the wolf had dug. The dragon struggled for purchase as another claw followed, scrambling for hold on the soft ground, but failed.
I looked away towards the slopes of the Adauntus Range, not wishing to see the dragon perish. The dragon's roar boomed, and I heard frantic claws losing grip. A wave of terror washed over me as a blaring roar split the air, its echo growing fainter and fainter as it fell into the depths below. Moments later, a bone-jarring smack reverberated through the surrounding mountains, resonating off the rugged terrain.
The wolf soared across the range's peaks, high above the rocky-cold expanse below. The frigid air bit my wet, bloodied skin as we passed through one dark cloud after another. The fog was thick with moisture as we leaped over a man in royal colors, his blood splattered on the ground, followed by two more bodies farther along the crater that still held Astor's dead body. We continued to run, reaching the alcove where Astor and I had waited for daylight to navigate the canyon before the Skinner attack. The realization hit me hard as I glanced down at the wolf. I was now convinced it had been responsible for sending those rocks tumbling down on us, rousing my senses and alerting me to the impending danger.
My thoughts ceased as darkness delved deeper into my mind, radiating a headache through my skull; my only tether to consciousness was a single thread of warmth that quivered with exhaustion. We descended along the back of the mountain range, emerging from the clouds and into the open sky, hitting the valley floor.
My hands ached from gripping so tightly that I let go for a moment to flex them but tumbled to the ground with a crash.
I coughed, clutching my aching stomach as my whole body shook in effort. Closing my eyes, the adrenaline completely subsided, and I felt the full extent of the pain and exhaustion strike deep.
The wolf's damp nose pressed against my neck, sending shivers across my skin, making it prickle with tiny bumps. I was overtaken by violent, uncontrollable shaking as I lost my grip on reality, my mind opening to the presence of the Spellcasters. I could feel their oily darkness seeping into my thoughts and soul with a menacing force intent on consuming every part of me.
A deep, vicious snarl broke through the darkening haze. Forcing my eyes open, I saw the wolf glaring at me with a rage so intense it seemed ready to tear me apart. I attempted to move, but my body remained frozen, paralyzed by the overwhelming exhaustion and pain. Everything felt distorted—overwhelmingly vast yet oppressively close, a maddening contradiction that left me trapped in a swirling vortex of fear and confusion as I struggled to keep breathing.
Another harsh nudge from the wolf rolled me to the side as it snapped its teeth. I looked up at its eyes, which were now gentle and pleading.
"Please. Hold on a little longer." A soft voice rippled through my mind.
I…can't.
I gazed into the wolf's desperate eyes as my vision began to darken, swallowed by the intense pain and gnawing hunger that engulfed me. Just as I felt myself slipping away, I was lifted off the ground by warm, strong arms. The comforting strength of the embrace was the last sensation I felt before oblivion completely took over, pulling me into unconsciousness.
" Eliah! " A familiar voice quivered, jolting me into consciousness as I was moved into another pair of warm, strong arms. " Eliah! "
"She's going into shock; we have to give her this!" Another voice growled, urgent and frantic.
"No! She's too weak. It could kill her!"
"She will die if we don't!"
Fingers pried open my mouth, and a burning hot liquid consumed my throat and soul, engulfing me in a fiery abyss. I tried to scream against the flaming tendrils lashing through my every vein, seizing every cell and stitching it back together in a hot flare. I quivered, desperate to wake up and stop the liquid from consuming me whole. More poured down my throat, choking me as warm arms pulled me closer.
"I have her! GO! " A warm voice commanded.
An angered grunt faded away as I began to shake harder against the fierce fire that burned inside me. I gasped, struggling to breathe as the world around me lurched into motion. Dizziness and pain erupted in every ounce of my being.
"Please," the desperate, familiar voice cried close to my ear. "Come back to me." Lips pressed against my forehead, and a warm blanket covered me as the fiery liquid turned icy, coursing through my veins and into my extremities. I wheezed, feeling my fingers ice over.
The air left my lungs, and a deep pressure settled on my heart, which abruptly slowed, causing me to black out repeatedly until an electric shock zapped through me, thrusting screams from my throat until it was raw. I felt my swollen, torn leg, stitch back together, along with the cut at the base of my head and the poison on my blistered arm calm.
The familiar voice cried out, clinging to my limp body and praying to names unknown to me. Slowly, vibrant emerald-blue eyes came into view, and all I was left with was a blinding headache and gnawing hunger; all my pain had vanished.
I felt a soft kiss caress my forehead and caught sight of his teary smile as understanding hit.
"Levon?" I coughed out, my voice raw and depleted.
His lip quivered with a smile as he embraced me, rocking me back and forth. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he wept repeatedly, tears dampening my blood-soaked hair. He let go, holding my face and looking into my eyes, his own filled with guilt and determination. "I'll never let you go again. Ever."
"Water. Food," I whispered, my voice barely audible. He moved me to the side, and I looked up, seeing shadows of trees passing through the window, realizing we were in his carriage.
"Can you sit up?" he asked, holding a canteen before me. I nodded slightly, wincing as he shifted his arms to help me sit against him, pressing the cold metal to my lips. I drank slowly at first, savoring the cool relief, then deeply until I consumed the entire canteen.
He held out some nuts, an apple, and hard cheese. My stomach growled at the sight, and I devoured the cheese and nuts, reaching eagerly for the apple he gave over with a tease.
He laughed softly at my scowl, kissing my forehead again, his touch gentle and reassuring.
I felt a growing warmth awaken deep inside as a ripple of energy sizzled within my core as if it hummed with realization and familiarity of home. My mind flashed back to all the unexplained instances throughout the tournament—the unexpected surges of light that coursed through me, the soothing warmth, the voices in my head.
"Levon, what's happening to me?" I rasped, my voice cracking with a mix of fear and confusion having a foreboding feeling he knew what was really going on.
His eyes darkened as he sighed, looking away as if hesitating to answer. "You'll likely be hunted by King Thealor and his men for not finishing the Match and by Jesri…but you're not going back. You've come to a point where we had to intervene." He took my hands in his, his eyes lined with silver.
"Eliah, when I first saw you dancing at the seashore, it wasn't then that I decided to protect and care for you. I promised my mother I would," he said, his voice breaking slightly.
My heart pounded as I struggled to comprehend his words, my brows knitting in confusion.
"We had been searching for you for years, terrified you were lost in the Cataclysm," he continued, his words coming out in a rush. I tried to interject, but he continued. "I couldn't tell you with everyone watching...with Jesri watching and spewing so many lies. He would have taken you straight to the king or sold you to the Onyx Market, where the Spellcasters would torture and use you. So, we had to play along."
"After finding you, I closely watched Jesri and his idiotic schemes. He tried to sell you off to the highest bidder, but no one wanted to marry a girl so young. So, he created another revolting idea to make you a bounty hunter within the Onyx Market, but that would only put you in the line of fire. So, we spread lies and bribed the men to believe you weren't worth it, especially not against the king and his—" he stopped abruptly before his eyes darkened with sadness. "His personal executioner."
My heart sank as I saw tears streaming down his cheeks.
"I was the fear…to so many people," his voice trembled. "But I made sure to reach that rank to find you, to infiltrate every part of the politics within these cursed lands; it was the only way I could protect you. And when I finally left that life, I came searching for you, making plan after plan to get us all out and keep you safe. I made sure to steer Jesri to that tavern, without him knowing I was behind all his failed plans for the orphan he did not care for. This Match was the only way to make Jesri give you up willingly and without drawing too many suspicious eyes."
A lump formed in my throat, and I stopped breathing, pressing my hand against my chest to quell the pounding. "Why?" I breathed, my voice shaky. "Why me?"
He stared deeply into my eyes, his breath heavy with unspoken truth. "The convulsions, the change in your eyes, the incident to my face—they're all signs of something far beyond ordinary. Your ability to regenerate strength faster, heal within a matter of hours, and push through when others would have succumbed to the void. And your anger that burns so fiercely… it's not human, Eliah. All of it points to the Ethereal—a power that's been dormant within you and has been waiting to be unleashed."
He paused, his expression a mix of sorrow and awe while my heart seemed to stand still. "You are a Magic, Eliah, one of the last of a rare and ancient kind in this world. But you're not just a Magic—you're something otherworldly, something celestial, and divine. That energy within you isn't just growing; it's unfolding in ways that transcend even the highest of Magics here in this world and in others. Your true nature is emerging, and it's something that can no longer be hidden or suppressed. Your abilities are awakening, and they will only grow stronger. We can't hide this anymore."
His words sent waves of hysteria through me. I quickly sat up, gasping for breath.
No, this couldn't be happening. I didn't want this. The idea of being a Magic and something celestial was too much to understand.
"That's why I couldn't tell you," he continued, his voice a mixture of sorrow and urgency. "Nor would you have believed me if I had. It was too dangerous, and you would have been killed if anyone found out. We simply couldn't take that risk."
My mind reeled. The world around me blurred as the truth sank in. All the strange occurrences, the inexplicable moments—they suddenly made sense, yet it was a reality I was desperate to reject. How could this be?
Tears stung my eyes as I struggled to find my breath, my chest tightening with the weight of my unwanted destiny.
There were still too many questions.
Too many fears.
Too many unknowns.
Too many suspicions that I didn't want to be true.
For me, an orphan, to be something more than what I was.
A Magic. An actual Magic. And something celestial?
No. It can't be true. It's not true!
"No, I'm—I'm no one! I'm normal—not a Magic and far from celestial !" I spat, desperately trying to reject the truth yet somehow knowing all along that some thing was always different within me.
He squeezed my hands, his gaze intense and unwavering. "You're not just anyone, Eliah. You are extraordinary . "
I sat there, stunned, shaking my head in disbelief. "I-I don't understand! I'm a nobody. H-how?"
He cupped my blood-stained cheek in his gentle hand. "I'll tell you everything, I promise, but we must get you to safety first. Many people are likely already searching for you, especially after we took you out of the Match. I had no idea the Match would be here, in the Unmarked Territory—" His voice hitched, and his lip quivered. "I'm so sorry, Eliah."
I struggled to catch my breath, to understand, but even with whatever elixir I was given that dulled my pain, I felt utterly drained.
"That's why the Spellcasters want me. Why the Onyx Market placed a bounty on my head? Because I'm Magic?" I asked, trying to calm my rising panic.
"No," his expression shifted, becoming more apprehensive. My brows furrowed as my head swirled with questions. "The Onyx Market is searching for the lone Magic," he continued, "and we still assume they haven't figured out it's you. No leads are pointing to you; we've made sure of that. Kaizen has been silencing any bounty hunters who had leads."
He averted his gaze, looking out the carriage window, then hesitantly returned it to me. "But the Spellcasters, they want you for something entirely different."
"What?" I demanded, frustration and fear tightening in my chest.
Levon took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with concern. "The Spellcasters know you hold the key to this ancient power, something that will alter the course of time and reality itself. They don't just want to capture you—they want to control you, break you until you become a part of them."
I breathed out, the vision of the bloodied throne still haunting my thoughts, the echoes of chanting skeletons still ringing in my ears.
"They want you for control, domination," he stopped, looking deep into my eyes. "And to gift them with immortality in this world and the Cosmos beyond so they can reshape it all to their liking. You're a beacon of power and light, Eliah. A catalyst for something much larger than this reality."
My head swam with confusion, overwhelmed by too many surreal notions that refused to make sense.
"I don't understand," I muttered again, slumping against him. "I don't understand." Hot tears streamed down my face; none of this could be true.
I was not a Magic … I couldn't be. Nor a key to something.
He held me close, his touch soothing yet stirring up a storm of anxiety and bafflement. "We'll explain everything," he said softly, stroking back my hair and gently kissing my forehead.
A sudden loud crash hit the carriage from the outside, tearing a scream from my throat and whipping Levon's gaze towards the door.
Abruptly, the carriage lurched to a stop, throwing us both off the seat. We tumbled across the floor, hitting the opposite wall with a thud. Pain flared through my already battered body, and I groaned, clutching my side.
Levon scrambled to his feet, helping me up with careful hands.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice tight and concerned, as he quickly scanned the area outside the window.
I nodded, gritting my teeth against the pain.
He glanced towards the front of the carriage, his expression darkening.
"We need to be ready for anything," he demanded, handing me a dagger from one of his bags, his eyes meeting mine, displaying a fierce tension.
He helped me back onto the seat and pounded on the carriage's roof, signaling Kaizen. The carriage lurched forward with a violent jolt, sending us crashing into the opposite wall. It accelerated rapidly, rattling harder with each passing second. Levon cursed under his breath, his voice tense with urgency, as he leaned down to help me.
Kaizen started screaming something, his voice filled with panic but was instantly cut off by the sharp roar of flames erupting around us, consuming our entire beings and engulfing the carriage in a fiery inferno.