Skye's Arrival

Shivers run up my spine as he shoves me again, forcing me to walk. As we near, I start to panic. Without thinking, I take the dagger from my thigh and shove it into his side. “Morte!” I shout into his hand. Heathe screams, signaling to his master that his prize is here.

I re-sheath my dagger and start running at that point. “Dawn!” I yell, trying my hardest to pick up the pace. Please let me get away. I have no energy to fight and run. I can’t vanquish him yet. I tried it without the blade once, and all I did was destroy his body and send him to purgatory. I was just shy of being able to destroy him.

I barely got a yard before something hard hits me from behind. I start rolling as images start flashing into my mind, remembering the last time this happened. I get flipped onto my back as my arms are pinned behind my head.

Koan is flashing me a glorious grin as he looks me over. “Looks like I found you my dear.”

“Get off me.” I yell trying to force him off of me. Stop panicking Skye. Remember your training. I force myself to still as I think back a hundred years ago. That’s actually a pretty long time. Focus Skye.

He grins at me. “You’re as spunky as ever my dear. I think I’ll have to work that out of you.”

My eyes narrow as locked away memories start to assault me. I push them away, remembering that I’m in charge of them. “I’ll kill you,” I growl, trying to get him off of me.

“No, you can’t. See dear, you went ahead and vanquished the only other one with celestial blood in the Mortal Space. This means, I’m going to have to try extra hard to get Dawn out of you.” He flashes me his teeth. “I might have to kill you to get rid of her.”

“Then kill me now,” I scream at him, trying to keep him away from me. “If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with.”

He starts chuckling. “You misinterpret me, my dear. I’m going to bring you back to life. Priest Alexander is working on a spell that will kill you long enough for Dawn to die. Once you die, so does she. However, the second your heart starts beating again, you’re free.”

“You’re insane.” I say as I manage to move my leg and get a leg hold around his neck. I yank him off of me and get to my feet, immediately running towards Gerrickson. If he’s healed by now he can help me stall him.

I hear a dark chuckling behind me. “You’re weaker than the last I saw you, my dear. Did vanquishing that annoying girl drain you of all power? Maybe I don’t have to bite you this time. We can just enjoy the trip home together this time.”

“Go back to purgatory you piece of trash.” I yell, well aware of how close he is to me.

He chuckles, enjoying the chase. He’s toying with me at this point. “That’s not very nice. You’re going to use up my generosity if you keep fighting me. I do admit that I love seeing this much life in you again. Those last few months together were dreadfully dull.”

I get to the crater where Gerrickson is and stop dead in my tracks. Another me is kneeling in front of him.

“I see you found her.” Adam says as he flips his long brown hair. “You’re building a pearl blade Skye? I wasn’t under the impression you knew how to make one.”

“What do you need here?” Koan asks, stepping closer to me. “Since when can you do that, my dear?”

I lock eyes with a wide eyed Gerrickson. He’s truly petrified at this moment. He just realized he’s meeting Adam. Koan grabs the back of my head as my heart begins to pound. I am so going to spend the next century in a venom coma. Well, lets make the best of it.

“Skye, my dear, please explain this new development.” Koan says, putting his lips next to my ear.

“I know where to find another one,” I answer as I try to control my breathing. “Just let me think, okay?” I lock eyes with Gerrickson. “Just let me take a stab at it.” Gerrickson looks confused as Koan pulls tighter on my hair.

Koan puts his nose against my cheek, putting his lips closer to my ear. “Why would Adam say make?”

“Maybe make was the wrong word. Don’t cut yourself on it.” I say, heavily stressing the word cut. Please take the hint.

Gerrickson looks at his blade then to Adam before returning to me. He picks up the blade with both men focused on me and stabs it into Adam’s leg.

“Morte.” I yell as I grab the dagger from my side then cut Koan. Koan yells as he lets me go. The blade still wasn’t in Koan when I had used my word for kill, so he’s still unfortunately alive. I start running while I hear Adam scream in agony. I almost get to the top of the hill when I see Rafi and I’m tackled from behind again, making me drop my dagger. Rafi is covered in blood and cuts, dirt coating his entire body that also covers his very tattered clothes. He stops in his tracks while I get hauled to my feet by my hair.

“Stop right there Rafiale.” Koan growls putting his teeth to my neck. “If you want me to refrain from biting my wife, I suggest you step back.”

Since when is he scared of Rafi? Rafi glares at him as he tenses. “Let her go Koan. I know your little secret. She’s not yours.”

“She’s mine!” Koan growls. “Now tell me what you know about the pearl blade.”

Pure confusion crosses his face. “It’s in the Celestial Kingdom, Koan. You know that.”

“What does she need to build it!” Koan yells while I scream for Dawn to help in my mind.

“No one can build it Koan. You know this. The secret of how to create it died, when the blade was given to the Head Rank Celestial Soldier of the first generation as a gift.”

“That’s not what your little friend down there said.” He says teeth near foaming at this point.

“You’re insane,” Dawn hisses from behind us, making me scream as Koan bites me. He retracts his teeth as he roars in pain.

“Morte,” I breathe as we both fall to our knees.

“Dawn?” Koan asks as I look behind me to see her standing next to him, holding my dagger. “How?” He demands as his body vanishes.

“About time,” I say, starting to feel dizzy, while I put pressure on my neck.

“What happened?” She demands as I fall to my side.

“You’ll have to ask Rafi that one.” I say as I start sliding down the sandy hill, my vision beginning to fade. “I’m going to need a minute.” I say as I see her chasing after me, my vision beginning to be taken over by the dazed haze.

“What happened?” Dawn demands, finally reaching me. “And he bit her. Great.”

“What do you mean bit her?” Gerrickson demands. “And can someone please get me out of this hole?”

“Koan bit her. Thank you for showing up, or we’d be screwed.” Rafi says. “Now does someone want to explain how Koan found out about the pearl blade?”

“What?” Dawn yells as I feel her lifting me up against her.

“I may have told that shapeshifter. He was shaped like Skye and I-I-I got confused.” Gerrickson whimpers.

“How did you-” Dawn growls.

“Stop.” Rafi barks. “You forget, he’s young and never delt with Adam.”

“Neither have I, but I know better than to talk about our plan with someone when we’re being attacked.” She snaps.

“Dawn,” Rafi snaps back. “Enough. We need to get ahead of Koan, or else they’ll be here soon. Where do we need to find what she needs?”

“What makes you think I know?”

“Maybe because you lived inside of her for a century.” Rafi growls.

“Well I don’t.” She snaps.

“Well we need to know!” He yells.

“What is wrong with you?” Gerrickson demands. “Skye is stardazed, after waking up from an eight day coma from saving us the last time we fought his minions. I’m barely able to move. Dawn is trying to keep Skye from being hurt, while keeping herself alive to protect Skye. You’re babysitting Skye ninety percent of the time. There is no time to even make an error, let alone start pitting the blame against one another.”

“That’s the problem. Skye and Dawn are the only reason we are even standing. We’re pathetic!” Rafi yells. “We can’t protect them.”

“We lack the ability they do,” Gerrickson says and he keeps his voice calm. “And in case you didn’t notice, we stalled them long enough for Skye to wake up and get to safety. Granted she chose to come to us, but we managed to protect her.”

“It’s not enough. I’m not enough.” Rafi yells.

“Rafi!” Dawn yells. “Where are you going?”

“To figure out what she needs.” Rafi snaps.

“He’s so infuriating.” Dawn growls as she starts petting my hair.

“Yeah, I know.” Gerrickson snaps sarcastically. “Now can you please get me out of the ground!”

“You’re such a baby.” She grouses while I hear Gerrickson whimpering.

“You try being stuck in a crater created by your own body.” Gerrickson snaps. “Now go get Rafi, I got Skye.”

“And if Koan comes back?” Dawn asks, humor in her voice.

“I’ll bleed on him.” He snaps. “I’ll get her out of here.”

“Your wounds are still healing.” Dawn points out.

“Well forgive me for not knowing the healing spell celestials use!” He snaps.

I feel like I can hear her roll her eyes, “Sana coelum, tactum tuum ad haec vulnera sana.”

There is warmth radiating from Dawn, making her gasp and Gerrickson yelp. “What is going on!” Dawn yells.

“What did you do?” Gerrickson yells. “How…how did you heal me?”

“I don’t know!” She yells. “I didn’t even know I could do that.”

“How?” Gerrickson yells again, clearly panicking.

“I don’t know!” She yells again, while I wish more than ever that I could cover my ears.

“Why are you screaming?” Rafi yells from far away, making them shriek. My head is killing me at this point.

“What is wrong with you two?” Rafi demands, sounding closer.

“I healed Gerrickson?” Dawn answers, her surprise making her sound unsure.

“How?”

“We don’t know.” Dawn and Gerrickson yell.

“Celestial Demons do not have that power.” Gerrickson answers.

“Well, Dawn is attached to Skye, and that stone does bind her to Skye. Maybe that has something to do with it,” Rafi muses.

Internally I’m rolling my eyes. It’s because she’s holding me. Alone, she couldn’t do it. When we’re touching, my power is flowing through her body.

“I don’t think so.” Dawn muses. “I don’t feel like I’ve lost energy.

Good, because I do, I bark in my mind. I’m going to slap Koan the next time I see him. After I put a muzzle on him.

“In that case, it looks like you’ve used some of Skye’s.” Rafi says, touching my damp forehead, wiping some of my hair. I nearly shudder under it. How do I even know what his touch feels like?

Dawn gasps as she looks down at me. “I’m so so sorry Skye.”

“I think I’ve found what she was looking for.” Rafi says, picking me up.

“What was she looking for?” Dawn demands.

“The less you know the better.” Rafi says, a little darkly. “We don’t want them to know more.”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Gerrickson yells.

“It wasn’t, but I’m going to lessen the chance nonetheless.”

“Wait a minute,” Dawn cuts in. “How do you know what she’s looking for here?”

“She told me.” Rafi answers while I feel a shift of weight, pulling me closer to his chest.

“When did she do that?”

“The first time she woke after she vanquished Esmeralda.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Gerrickson demands.

“After what just happened, can you blame me?” Rafi demands.

“What do we need to get?” Dawn demands again.

“The less you know the better,” Rafi reiterates, sounding beyond irritated.

“Rafi stop!” Dawn snaps, where I’m suddenly flung from Rafi’s hold. Internally I’m groaning with every bounce down the sandy hill. It still hurts.

“What is wrong with you two?” Gerrickson yells, stopping my ball impersonation.

“He’s being unreasonable!” Dawn yells.

“I’m unreasonable? You literally yanked me down to the ground to make me talk to you.”

“Why are you all so angry?” Gerrickson yells. “I can feel Skye is getting irritated with both of you. Dawn, you’re being…well Dawn. Rafi just stop being stubborn and listen to what Dawn is actually upset about.” Gerrickson then blows a sharp whistle to make them both stop yelling. “Figure it out! I’m going to take Skye back to camp. She won’t be able to move for a few hours, and this is not helpful.”

He starts grumbling as he picks me up. He’s muttering something about both of them being children as he carries me up the hill. “I swear, one of these days those two are going to start fighting. Bloody demons.”