Flames on Water, page 19
part #1 of God of Dust Series
‘Thank you,’ he said quietly, nodding at Ethan.
‘Don’t thank me. You haven’t even thanked Layla yet.’
Kaiden blushed.
‘But how can I ever thank her enough?’ He turned slowly to Layla. ‘You have saved me twice. I don’t know what I can do to repay you.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Layla insisted, embarrassed by his sincerity. She was relieved to find that Kaiden was looking a lot better already. Ethan carefully helped him back onto the bed. Kaiden insisted on sitting up, propping himself up against her pillows.
‘Is Iza alright?’ he asked suddenly, as if he had just remembered, ‘Did she get here?’
‘She is here, well in this world anyway,’ Ethan answered.
‘She’s in hiding,’ Layla added quietly.
‘But she helped me free Envri! That man with the grey hair told me I would be accepted if I freed Envri, so that should work for Iza too right? You were there, weren’t you?’ he turned to Ethan uncertainly.
Ethan shook his head.
‘I was there at first mate, but then I went to take Layla home. A lot has happened since then and I wouldn’t count on them remembering their promise,’ said Ethan grimly. ‘So, you were the one that freed Envri huh? How did you manage that?’
‘I don’t really remember,’ Kaiden said, frowning. ‘Everything is a bit of a blur.’
‘I never did trust Envri,’ Ethan said, shaking his head. ‘He told everyone he had broken free himself. No one will believe you had anything to do with his “release”.’
‘Will I have to go into hiding too, then?’ Kaiden asked. Layla looked up at Ethan as well, unsure about what would happen. Ethan looked surprised. He shook his head.
‘Haven’t you seen your body?’ he asked incredulously.
‘What do you mean?’ Kaiden asked, confused.
‘Layla made you a real body. No one will think for a second that you came from Ennua. They don’t even know that Layla can do this.’
That is a relief, Layla thought with a smile, he will be ok now. I really did manage to save him after all.
Ethan turned to Layla, suddenly serious,
‘You will have to explain what happened to them, or some of it at least. Everyone saw you go through the Gate and knock it down after all,’ he told her ‘They are saying that you are the world’s Guardian now.’
Chapter Thirty-three
Trust and hope
Falmear had never felt so tired. He was not used to tiredness at all. He had seen the Gate open from a safe distance. He had no intention of returning through it and only wanted to see what the “defenders” would do. In his opinion they didn’t handle it well at all. There were too few of them. If it wasn’t for Layla, they would have all been killed. He had seen both parts of her soul and finally understood what that girl had been going on about. He didn’t know what she had done, but it was clear to him she had closed the Gate and taken someone with her to her house. This feat alone was impressive. He had seen the shield the defenders had put up around the town. No spirit should have been able to break through it. He had tried. But she had just flown through it, as if she hardly noticed it was there. How had she done it? And how had she learnt to fly?
Fal decided it would not be embarrassing to ask for help from someone that powerful, and he really needed help. He was exhausted from constantly healing Ellen and himself, and from having to defend himself whenever a stray soul wandered into their hiding place. He had chosen a tree at the edge of the field which overlooked Layla’s house, next to a large holly bush. From there he could keep an eye on Layla’s house. How could he contact her? It was stupid of her to promise to help him and then allow a shield to be put up that prevented him even getting close to her.
As night became day Fal he crept down to the shield’s edge. Ellen’s wounds were re-appearing. She didn’t complain, she never said anything, she just walked alongside him silently. Fal couldn’t stand the thought of starting the healing spell yet again. He reached out a hand and felt the edge of the shield. He punched it, kicked it and threw himself against it but nothing worked. He tried running up against it again and again, but it resisted him. In his frustration Fal drew power from around him and shot a lightning bolt at the shield. To his surprise it went straight through and blew Layla’s garden wall to pieces.
‘I can’t believe I didn’t think of magic before!’ Fal said to no one in particular. He must have got the girl’s attention now. Sure enough, a figure emerged from the house, quickly followed by another. To his surprise Fal found himself confronted by the last person he expected to see. Kaiden.
‘What on earth are you doing here?’ he asked. Kaiden just looked at him blankly. It was as if he didn’t recognise him at all. He was already drawing magic for weapons. Fal quickly copied him.
‘I beat you so easily before, do you really think you have a chance in a rematch?’ he snapped. You gave up before. You knew you couldn’t win. So why are you determined to fight now? That girl got angry with me for attacking you last time. If I kill you, I know she won’t help me. Just back down.
‘Stop it, both of you!’ Layla cried grabbing Kaiden’s arm. Fal turned on her.
‘I kept my side of the deal. I haven’t hurt any of your precious defenders,’ he growled.
‘Kaiden didn’t know,’ Layla explained, anxiously.
‘What is that guy doing here anyway? And how did he get hold of a body?’
‘I made it for him.’
‘You what!?’ For a moment Fal was speechless, so this girl is an Angel. He quickly regained his composure, remembering how normal Murgore had been. ‘You’ve been holding out on me again, two-souls.’
‘If you want me to make a body for you I will, but it will take a while and there is a condition.’ Of course, there is a catch. More demands. Fal forced himself to stay calm.
‘What’s that?’
‘I still don’t trust you much, Falmer or Almear whatever your name is. So, if I make you a body you will have to stay around where we can keep an eye on you.’
That’s it? She really is naïve.
‘My name is Falmear, Fal mear. Can’t you remember names?’
Kaiden suddenly stared intently at Fal, as if something had just occurred to him.
‘Layla what did you call him?’ he asked quietly, not taking his eyes off Fal.
‘I don’t know. Something wrong apparently,’ she replied, distracted. ‘What did you want here anyway?’ she asked turning back to Fal.
‘Isn’t that obvious, just look at us.’ He gestured to himself and Ellen.
‘So, you want me to heal you up, well that will be easy.’ She clambered over the remains of the wall and approached him, drawing in magic. Kaiden followed protectively beside her. Fal had to fight with his instincts not to back away. Surprisingly gently she touched each of his wounds in turn, but it didn’t hurt. Instead a small healing mark flared into life with each touch and his wounds swiftly closed as if they had never existed.
‘That was a lot faster than before,’ he noticed, impressed.
‘I’ve got stronger,’ Layla replied, and went over to Ellen. Now that she had moved away Fal became more conscience of Kaiden’s staring. He couldn’t read his expression.
‘What is it? Got something to say?’ he snapped.
‘Yes. I finally recognised you-’
‘You should recognise me. I was the one who attacked you. I’m not going to apologise.’
‘I don’t even remember that,’ Kaiden said dismissively.
‘So, what are you going on about now?’
‘This,’ Kaiden reached forward and grabbed the red gem tied around Fal’s neck.
‘Do you remember where you got this from?’
‘What are you getting at?’ Fal asked, leaning away.
‘Who gave this to you?’ Kaiden insisted.
‘It must have been one of the Mages or something. They are the ones who always give out magic stones. I guess you wouldn’t know; you were only a scribe after all and never even-’
‘Did you ever draw any magic from this,’ Kaiden interrupted. What is this guy getting at? It doesn’t make any sense. He thought back, had he ever drawn power from it? He had had other stones in the past and had used them up completely but he could not remember using this one once. Why was that?
‘What are you going on about all of a sudden? What is this about?’ he demanded, snatching the gem back.
‘I may be wrong, but I think...’ Kaiden hesitated, ‘I think...well...It could be your memories.’ Fal just stared at him, not being able to comprehend what he was hearing.
‘In the village we came from they could crystallise people’s memories. Memories are a part of someone’s soul after all and a soul is simply magic...’ Fal didn’t stay around to hear him finish. He ran. He didn’t really know where he was running but he needed to be alone. He needed to know.
He ended up heading to his normal hiding space in the tree beside the holly. He threw himself into it. Could it really be true? The irony! He laughed maniacally. The Angel would have known, wouldn’t he? He would have laughed to think that Fal was carrying around the one thing he wanted to find more than anything. Fal cradled the little gem in his hands as he laughed until he just felt empty. Then he absorbed it.
Chapter Thirty-four
My fault is past
Alder slipped away from his father’s house before the sun had even risen. He knew he wouldn’t come looking for him. He never did. Alder had watched him drinking the night before, sitting in his normal corner and wondering if he was going to have any dinner. He loved his father dearly but he couldn’t stand to be around him when he was drunk. He said things the five year old didn’t want to hear.
It was dark and cold on the mountainside. The wind was blowing strong, howling through the few stunted trees which grew here and there on the slopes. Alder ran on down the incline. He could see his destination further down the valley. The blue roof of the doctor’s house. He glanced at it as he ran and tripped, falling flat on his face and sliding downhill a little way. Silently he got back to his feet, brushed himself off and stumbled on.
The house was dark when he reached the door but when he knocked he could hear the sound of footsteps inside. Then the bolt was drawn back and a little face looked up at him. His little brother was still in his nightclothes and looked half asleep.
‘It’s early,’ he complained rubbing his eyes. ‘What happened to your face?’
Alder put a hand self-consciously to his face and felt the graze there. It stung.
‘Let me in quick, ‘k. I need to clean up before mom sees,’ he whispered.
Kaiden nodded and held the door open. Once Alder had got inside Kaiden closed it and crawled back to bed. Alder headed straight to the washroom and clean himself up as best as he could. When he had finished, he put the cloth back where he had found it and turned around to see his mother standing in the doorway watching him. She said nothing about his cuts and bruises, she just took him by the hand and led him to her friend Penelo’s room.
Penelo, the doctor’s daughter, gave him the same look of pity that she always did and healed his scrapes without a word. Then his mother took him in her arms and just held him. He liked that bit best of all. She carried him to the room she shared with his brother and laid him down in her own bed, then got in next to him. After a while Kaiden put a sleepy arm over his brother.
When Alder awoke his mother was already up and dressed.
‘We are going for a picnic today, down near the river,’ she said and set a plate of pancakes down for him and Kaiden to share. The younger boy clapped his hands together in happiness and grabbed at the food. Alder watched him affectionately.
It didn’t take them long to get to the river. Penelo spread out the blanket and Kaiden lay out across it with his arms spread wide, smiling up at the sky.
‘Look Alli, that cloud looks like a duck!’ he laughed. Alder glanced up at the sky but couldn’t see anything in the clouds.
‘Look what I can do now Kaiden,’ he said. He knelt down beside his brother and showed him the little sparks of electricity he had been working so hard on. Kaiden’s face lit up with amazement.
‘That’s so awesome! I wish I could do that!’ he cried and tried to catch the sparks.
‘Ouch! they’re hot,’ he whined as he caught one and it shocked him.
‘Silly. You’re not meant to touch them,’ Alder said gently, ruffling his brother’s hair.
Kaiden got over it quickly.
‘Mummy! Did you see what Alder can do!’ he sang out.
‘Yes, isn’t your big brother amazing,’ she smiled putting an arm around her two boys. ‘I’m so proud of you Al.’
‘Will you be proud of me too when I can do sparks?’ Kaiden asked. She laughed.
‘We don’t know that you will be an electric type too,’ she said.
‘I will! I will be just like my brother,’ Kaiden insisted childishly. Then Penelo brought out some little toy boats from the wicker picnic basket to distract them and the two boys ran down to the river.
‘Take care of your brother!’ Alder’s mother called to him as he ran.
‘I will! I told you I always will!’ he called back, waving. Penelo and his mother were not far away but he still felt solely responsible for Kaiden now. But Alder was only five and it wasn’t long before he was distracted. He found a little pool perfect for his boat and was seeing if he could make the toy turn with his sparks when he heard a cry from behind him.
‘Kaiden don’t get so close to the water!’
Then there was a splash.
‘Kaiden!’ Alder watched in horror as his mother ran down the bank and threw herself into the river. The three year old had hardly been in the water for a minute. He was scared but fine. The cold of the water had surprised him, and his mother’s reaction scared him even more, so he cried and cried. Alder cried too. At that moment he swore he was never going to let anything bad happen to his brother again.
Years passed. Alder’s father went to the front line and never came back, so his mother and brother moved back home. By this time Alder had quite a reputation at school for being violent, but he was always gentle with his little brother. He waited for him at the gates of the school every day and walked him home.
One day Kaiden came running up to the gates calling for Alder to come quickly. Alder followed his brother instantly. Kaiden led him to the back of the school grounds where there was a dusty yard used for sports. There, lying still in the dust, was a girl. She looked only a little older than Kaiden. She had short red hair, and pale slightly freckled skin. Alder was sure he had seen her before.
‘Who is she?’ he asked.
‘Don’t you remember her? It’s Ellen. She’s that girl I told you about that always used to watch you at break time.’
‘I never noticed.’
‘She’s in the class below you,’ Kaiden shrugged, ‘Her friend said she saw those boys around here, you know the ones you always fight with? Do you think it was them?’
‘They don’t normally just start fights with girls. I wonder what happened.’
‘Well she likes you so maybe she stuck up for you?’
Alder knelt down beside her and patted her awkwardly, trying to wake her. She was beaten up quite badly and he didn’t want to hurt her, but he couldn’t wake her. He began to get worried.
‘Let’s take her back to Penelo,’ he decided. With Kaiden’s help he managed to put Ellen onto his back and they struggled back like that.
The doctor’s house wasn’t far but Alder was soon exhausted. Ellen was heavy. Kaiden ran ahead. Penelo was hanging out the washing at the front of the house. Alder struggled towards her as his brother started explaining what had happened. Then Penelo helped him take Ellen inside and lay her on a bed. The doctor’s house always had several spare beds for patients. Alder looked around the room. It was the same one his mother and brother had lived in for so many years. It was odd to see a stranger in such a familiar place. Penelo called her father and they had a brief whispered conversation.
‘Will she be alright?’ Kaiden asked. Dr Hannas forced a smile and nodded.
‘She just needs a bit of a rest. She won’t take long to heal, don’t you worry. Well done, both of you, for bringing her here. I’m sure Penelo can find you something from the kitchen to take back with you for all your hard work.’
A few days later they found out that Ellen was staying at the doctor’s house now and Penelo would be looking after her. When Kaiden asked about it their mother looked sad and told them that Ellen’s mother wasn’t well. She wouldn’t say anything else about it no matter how much they asked. From then on Alder saw a lot of Ellen. He was curious about her. She was always quiet, and didn’t smile much, but she followed him around everywhere like a tame Breon.
Things started getting more and more scary as the years passed. Adults began whispering about things, looking nervous and stressed. Some people moved. Food was stored up in the mountain caves. When Alder was ten his mother began trusting him to look after his little brother more, and she often sent them out to play together when she had to go to important adult meetings. Alder felt very mature and proud of himself when that happened and he took his job very seriously.
One day he led Kaiden and Ellen to a large tree by the river. They could both swim well now, and Kaiden had wanted to make a swing in its branches for ages. Ellen carried the rope and Alder carried a wide plank of wood he had found. Kaiden and Ellen were talking about magic.
‘Last week they made me make all the carrots in the top field grow faster,’ Kaiden said proudly.
‘Could you really do that? That field is really big,’ Ellen said, impressed. ‘I can only burn things. I wish I could make things grow like you.’
Alder scowled. He could only destroy things too and was jealous of the attention Ellen was paying his brother. He decided to impress Ellen by climbing the tree as high as he could go.
‘Alder come back! You’re going too high!’ Ellen called from below. ‘The branches are too thin up there; they won’t support the swing.’
