Chapter five #2
“What is the longest you’ve gone without sleep?” I asked, putting my bag down. My mat was tied to the bottom of it.
“Two weeks.”
“Two weeks! What was that for?” My mouth fell open. Dylin warriors really were incredible.
“The Battle of Cataha.” His voice was just a whisper as he watched me intently.
“I fought so hard to save her. We all did. I’m sorry we failed you.
Xavier and I fought as hard as we could, but the black mist..
.it came from nowhere. It killed so many of our kind in a matter of seconds.
Your mother fought back with every ounce of power she had so the rest of us could retreat, but even her powers weren’t enough in the end.
The general and I tried to hold onto her, but she ordered us to leave.
” Tears stung my eyes. I had never been given an account of my mother on the battlefield that day.
All I had known was that she had fallen into darkness.
“Taking Cataha came at a great risk to us. All we were seeking was the power from Silverlight that had been stolen. If we hadn’t destroyed their city in the process, your mother might still be alive. ”
“Who gave the order to destroy the city that day? My father or my mother?” After all these years, I had never been told.
Raiden was quiet for a few short moments, looking out towards the dark, red sky.
“Your father. He became obsessed with taking the city down piece by piece. He dealt the first blow on the city, which is why he became separated from your mother. She was busy trying to save our kind while your father was tearing Cataha down. Xavier had never seen him so crazed with his power.” Big, thick tears fell down my face.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. ”
“No,” I sighed, wiping my eyes. “Thank you. This is the most honesty I’ve been allowed in over a thousand years.
” Raiden passed me some food from his bag.
“I’ve spent so much of my life being shielded.
Zohar might be a good king, but he’s lacking as a father.
Since my mother’s death, Noor and I have both felt his absence. ”
“It’s the guilt he carries. He wasn’t there when Duska needed him.
That has got to eat away at your soul. Even kings are allowed to make mistakes, Alora.
Zohar isn’t the first to fail and he won’t be the last. The Noxlin are a cunning, powerful race that are difficult to defeat.
I’ve been fighting them for over four thousand years, and still don’t know all their tricks. ”
“What was the strongest Noxlin like that you had to fight?”
“He was deadly. We were matched in strength, but his thirst for blood was greater than mine. He didn’t stop coming for me, even when I had shattered his sword arm.
I barely escaped with my life.” Raiden rolled his sleeve up, revealing a scar that ran up the entire inside of his arm.
“This was after Nell healed me. My entire arm was slashed open from torso to wrist. He made this strike with his weak arm.”
“Are they as formidable as the stories that have been told?”
“They control the darkness, Alora. It makes them pretty hard to see. They are usually upon you before you even notice their attack.”
“We can chase away darkness with our light. We have always been the more superior race.” All my textbooks told me this.
“Are we, though?” My eyes widened. What was he saying? That he thought the Noxlin were stronger than us?
“Don’t say something you’ll regret. I don’t want to have you executed for speaking badly of our race. You are Dylin. Your loyalty lies with my father.”
“Alora, I’m here with you on this pilgrimage. You don’t need to question my loyalty. I have gone to war for your parents on many occasions. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my race. I bled for them, for a start!”
“What are you trying to say then?”
“We’ve been at war with them since the dawn of time...”
“Yes, I’m aware. I don’t need a history lesson,” I interrupted, becoming a little irked. “Get to the point, Raiden!”
“Neither side has ever won since the dawn of time. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
“I’m going to throw this rock at you if you don’t make your point.” Philosophical Raiden wasn’t my favourite side of him.
He snorted, biting a piece of the cured meat in his hand. “We are equal in strength and power. If our race was superior, we would have won this war eons ago.”
His statement floored me. That was absolutely not true. Dylin were more powerful. We were also more serene in every way imaginable. The Noxlin had gotten the better of us because they were ruthless, barbaric, and evil. Light would always prevail. Holy Ether had blessed us for that very purpose.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I yawned, stretching out my arms. “You should leave the war planning to my father and Xavier. If you got involved, you’d be starting peace talks with the Noxlin,” I teased, eating the last of my food for the night.
“I’m a soldier, Alora. I simply follow orders. I have no desire to ever lead.”
“That’s probably a good thing with views such as yours. Although, you would give Xavier some serious competition when it comes to strength.” Raiden nodded slowly. I couldn’t read his eyes.
“Get some rest. It’s going to be an early start in the morning,” he muttered, scanning the land as he moved a little closer to me. “I’ll keep watch. You’ll be safe.”
In those words, he spoke the truth. It didn’t stop his words echoing in my mind as I slipped under, though. Noxlin and Dylin equals.
How ridiculous.