Mystical Love by sri ffn, a twilight fanfic

Subject/Email Header: P.S. I love you contest entry

Beta: Ninkita

Facebook name and/or Twitter handle: sri_ffn

Pen name: sri ffn

Title: Mystical Love

Summary: SAMPLE ENTRY. Love is the most powerful magic on Taica. But when magic is forced into hiding, restitution lies in the hands of the Sacred Seven, and the one true Just. But can they find the key to their powers in time? Can they unlock the mystical power of Love?

Pairing: Canon couples

Rating: T

Word count: 11,997

DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material are copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

The Odeus solar system was nestled away in a quiet corner of a small galaxy some light-years away from Earth. Out of its 19 planets, only three were habitable. The tiniest of these planets was Taica. The planet was divided into Land, Sea and Sky creatures. Mother, the goddess of nature and all elements of Taica, had blessed the Sea and Sky creatures with a just ruler known as Lagan—a flying, multi-armed creature, whose wings morphed into tentacles in the Sea. There was a palpable magic around him, but though his very aura commanded respect, none could understand the magic he possessed.

Taica was home to many Land creatures; their humanoids were known as Taicans. Taicans prided themselves on their united culture—there were no countries on the planet. Among the Taicans grew a special clan of higher, magical beings with formidable powers, who were equally feared and respected.

The Mystiques ruled the planet. They were fierce and intimidating, but the Mystiques did not believe in monarchy. The planet was ruled by a committee of Seven. The Sacred Seven were presided over by one who was wiser and more powerful than the others—the Just.

The Sacred Seven were chosen by the Mother, for she marked them at birth. They were born with unique powers, with the enhanced abilities of a Healer, a Seer, a Warrior, a Scholar, a Destructor, a Mind reader and a Priest. The Just was always the most powerful of the Mystiques, for he or she was blessed with the power of the Mother herself.

Esme was not born with the markings of the Just—they appeared overnight on her twenty-first birthday. This was the first time that the Mother's markings were found so late on a child. The Just were usually trained from childhood in the ways of ruling. Esme was an anomaly in the unusual crowd of Mystiques, which was saying a lot.

She met the Seven the day after her birthday and found herself immensely attracted to the healer in ways that she had never been attracted to any Taican or Mystique before. To her delight, she soon learnt that there were no rules preventing her from loving one of the Seven. Taicans believed that love was the oldest and most powerful magic of all. Hence, love was never discouraged or suppressed on their planet.

A bright white light flashed over the planet one day. The seer danced in joy and the mind reader smiled. The whole planet celebrated that the Just had accepted her mate. A few months later Esme was blessed with a child. The child's magic was strong even in the womb. The new parents were ecstatic... until one day when a group of rebel Taicans decided to end what they believed to be Esme's 'phony' act.

Esme's power was unleashed on all thirty eight rebel Taicans at the same time. One minute they were standing above ground, the next minute the land became sand and they found themselves buried beneath it. The minute after that it turned into solid ground again. Nobody ever doubted the powers of the Mother that resided in Esme after that fated day.

Unfortunately, one of the thirty eight slashed at Esme before they were buried. And despite the healer's power, he could not save the child.

James was born with clear markings of the Just. No one apart from the Mind Reader knew why the Seer cried for hours the day James was marked.

James was brought to the Sacred as a newborn. He was brought up like a son by Esme; for she could not conceive another child after the one she had lost a few years back. She never understood why the Seven were so wary of James and indulged him more than any other Just would indulge their successor.

James was ten when he discovered the fabled power of love. He saw it with his own two eyes, when the Healer whispered "I love you" in the ears of the Just. Esme giggled and smiled and murmured it back, and James saw small colorful flowers bloom in the garden on their own.

The child James was happy to see the kind of power love wielded. As time passed by, however, James became jealous of this power. He said the three words to many, and they were returned numerous times too, with giggles and sighs, yet there was no magic. James grew more furious and frustrated as the years progressed. He started detesting the love he was once desperate for. His heart grew darker with malice and hunger for power.

When the next Just was born, James committed a crime the Mother considered unforgiveable. He murdered the child in its sleep. He then decided that he would completely obliterate the clan of Mystiques and their unique magic of love. If he couldn't have it, he could not see anyone else have it either.

And so for the first time, Taicans saw the rage and destruction of an Unjust. James destroyed the Mind reader first. He then took out each of the Sacred Seven one by one. He killed all the newborn children marked by the Mother and all the Mystiques he could find. It was a genocide Taica would never forget.

Not even Esme with all her powers could contain James, for he spirited away the Healer and killed him without her knowledge. The grief of losing her love broke Esme's spirit and her magic dimmed. Esme's death was mourned by all Taicans as the end of hope.

The death of the Mystiques and their magic coincided with the disappearance of Lagan, the magical creature of Air and Sea. He disappeared into thin air just as he had appeared out of it. The disappearance of Lagan stirred a riot among the traditionally conflict-averse Taicans.

The Taicans now protected the identity of the next marked child with their lives. No word reached James about this new Just. He was born with much stronger magic than James, and when he came of age, he led a campaign against the Unjust, a title earned by James for his actions.

The Battle of the Just and the Unjust is recorded in every literary form, from folk tales, to poems, to plays. It was a battle of epic proportions. It killed James, yes; but it also killed the Just.

As much as the Taicans waited for another child marked by the Mother, none came. At first they were worried, but slowly Taicans started thanking the Mother for this. They blamed magic for the crimes of James the Unjust. Therefore, magic was never discussed beyond fables in this new society of Taicans. Mystiques no longer commanded any respect; they were a thing of the past that everyone believed should remain in the past. Taicans now considered magical creatures dangerous and alien. Anyone claiming to possess magical abilities was hunted and silenced before they could wreak havoc as James had done, wiping out more than half the population of Taicans.

As the magic disappeared, the structure of ruling modified itself. The Just was now chosen by a Council of Seven, and the Seven were chosen based on their skills.

As time passed, the Mother forgave herself. She started testing a few selected children with small amounts of power. She tightened the rules of magic and made sure that the essence of Mystical magic expanded only to those that truly loved each other. The Mother believed that a heart that loved would never get darkened like that of James.

And so began the new era of Mystiques.

Life was hard for fishermen on Taica. The sea creatures were wild and unpredictable and fishing was a very dangerous profession. It was said that only the bravest or the stupidest went fishing in Taica. But the expeditions were worth it, because sea creatures were a delicacy and brought in a lot of money—if only the fisherman survived.

Jasper was a child like no other. Born to a family of farmers, he was the worst worker the family had seen in the past century. Everything he touched became rotten in a few days. If he worked on the crop, it would be destroyed by a storm. When Jasper, fondly known as Japp, was a six year old, his mother helped him grow a flowering plant. He cared for it meticulously and a beautiful flower bloomed. Unfortunately when his mother woke up the next day, she found the flower that usually blooms for six days straight had already collapsed and withered away, as if in pain.

These coincidences along with the faint markings on his shoulder worried Japp's mother. Old fables resonated in her ears. Japp had all the traits and markings of the Destroyer from the Sacred Seven, but she couldn't let anyone see his mysticism. They would murder him! And so Japp's mother sent him on a suicide mission—sailing.

"You've gotten good, m'boy." Captain patted Japp's back.

Japp grunted back his acknowledgement. He was glad his power to suck the life out of creatures helped him in fishing. The wild sea creatures were tame around Japp. It made him an excellent fisherman. The water also calmed him like no other. Captain and others on the ship called the Sea a part of his soul.

"Hey, what's that white thing there?" Sam-Sam the captain's boy shouted.

Everyone rushed to drag in the floating dead fish. Only it wasn't a fish—it was a female. She was a gorgeous, small, frail young girl who was white as sheet. Japp rushed to her side and rubbed her hands to get some colour in her. He then realised that he was probably going to kill her, so he promptly dropped her hand and ran far away from her.

Captain and Sam-Sam tended to the girl and took her to rest in one of the private cabins onboard. Japp came to check on her in the middle of night, when he heard the sound of dry heaving from her cabin. He instinctively rushed to her assistance and helped her sit up and sip some water. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and grinned at him, teeth and all. It was the first time he had really looked at her, and he was stunned. Her smile mesmerised him. Then reality came crashing down on him; he drew his hands from hers and took several steps back. He was almost rushing out of the door when he heard her croaking voice say, "Don't. Don't fight it, we're meant to be. I'm the one person you won't hurt."

Japp was shocked to hear such a bold declaration from a stranger. He turned and walked straight out of the door.

The strange girl was weirder than Japp himself, which he had never thought possible. She was brighter than Fheshi, Taica's sun. She smiled at everyone but never showed her teeth to them. He was relieved because in Taican culture, teeth were only shown to people they like or love. This perplexed Japp even more because he couldn't get over her toothy smile from the other night. To everyone's surprise, the strange girl also never gave out her name to anyone. Something told Japp that she would tell him if he asked her. He won't do it though; he hadn't talked to her or approached her since that night. Japp was the bravest man on the ship and everyone onboard found it highly entertaining to see him cower from the frail, pale girl.

One night Japp was sitting at the edge of the deck when he felt her presence.

"She's fine," she said with the serene smile on her face.

"She who?" asked Japp.

"Your Mata, you were worried about her. She's a bit sick, a little hay fever. She'll be fine in three days. She's looking forward to your return."

"How do you know this? How do you who or how my mother is?" Japp stuttered.

"My heart tells me. You're not the only mystical one. I told you we're meant to be." She showed him her markings—she was a Seer.

"You're lying. You're making these things up to get something, but it's a waste of time. I have nothing to give to you. I have nothing to give anyone. I'm no good for you, girl. You best stay away from me," Japp warned her with a heavy heart. Yet he felt the faint stirrings of hope upon seeing her markings—maybe he really wasn't alone.

"I'm Li-Li. Well, my official documents write it as Alice, but I've always been known as Li-Li."

"Why are you telling me this? Everyone has been asking your name. Why choose me?" Japp was baffled by the mystery called Li-Li.

"You were meant to know my name, Jasper. No one else matters."

"You know my real name too?" Japp had never told anyone his full name. No one apart from his irate mother ever called him by that name.

"I know many things, Japp. You best trust me and head north-east. Your journey has just begun." Li-Li smiled that all-knowing smile, teeth and all, at him. Seeing her mischief brought an involuntary smile on Japp's face too.

She held out her hand to him and reassured his fears of hurting her by placing her hands in his. They remained side by side the rest of the night. Sometimes talking, sometimes laughing—Li-Li even made him steal food from the kitchen for a midnight snack. Japp was not the same person with Li-Li. He felt whole somehow. She filled the emptiness in him that he didn't even know he had. The more Li-Li talked about herself, the more Japp asked. He felt as though she was made for him. He also noticed that their markings were getting darker since they had met. It made him even more curious about her.

She told him everything he wanted to know about her. How her parents tried to kill her when she was eight years old because she told them about her dreams and they saw her predictions come true. How her mother feared the faint markings behind her ear and thought it best to get rid of her. How she had survived and hidden in a small fishing village all these years.

Japp wanted to wring the necks of her parents who had tried to murder their eight year old daughter. His fury was so overwhelming that he didn't realise he was causing the Sea to swell with his anger. He noticed just in time that the approaching tide was about to drown the ship and Li-Li with it, and he felt a power like he had never felt before. He found himself connected to the essence of the sea, and instinctively calmed the angry waves.

Li-Li came running to jump into his arms.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Li-Li.

"What did you know?" Jasper asked an elated Li-Li.

"You're tapping into your full potential now. Your mystical power of absorbing life energy and thus destruction is being enhanced by the elemental power of water. You can absorb the life essence of water now. The Mother has been very kind to you, Japp. I'm so happy for you."

Japp blinked, twice.

"That makes no sense. I caught the destruction part—I've been doing that all my life—but the water thing makes absolutely no sense to me."

Before Li-Li could explain the whole thing to him, Japp blurted out the question that was nagging at his brain.

"Why now, though? Why after so many years?"

At this, Li-Li gave him a shy smile. She held his hand and squeezed it a bit before replying, "Because you love me. Love is the trigger for the enhanced powers."

"It is? I do?"

Li-Li's smile dimmed at his confusion. Japp wanted to slap himself for that brain fart. He immediately drew her closer and put his forehead against hers. He whispered, "Of course it's true. Of course I do. I love you, Alice."

Li-Li teared up hearing his earnest confession. "I love you too," she choked.

A few days later, the mother blessed Li-Li with a vision. Li-Li and Japp immediately set course to find their master, the original Mystique of Water and Air, Lagan.

There were no warriors fiercer than the Ratniks in Taica. Named after the first Mystique warrior, the legion was known to be both fearless and ruthless. It was fabled that Ratniks protected the Just with their titanium strength and masterful planning. Nowadays, Ratniks protected not only the Just, but also all the rules and regulations created and supported by him.

As the daughter of two Ratniks, Rosalie had wanted to be a warrior since childhood. "There is glory in strength," she was always told.

Rosalie, popularly known as Rori, had faint markings of the warrior of the Seven. She was a genius planner, which is why she always hid the marks beneath her collar bone. She knew that her parents' name, fame and respect on Taica rode on her conduct. If she was one of the marked ones, then her parents would have to get rid of her according to the new laws of Taica. Thus, she feared the markings and her unnatural strength.

As puberty approached, Rori was chosen to be a Ratnik. Her parents couldn't have been happier. And though Rori's soul rejoiced in finding its calling, she was terrified of revealing her real strength and capabilities.

The wild forests of the West were becoming wilder and the Ratniks were doing everything they could to keep the wilderness from harming the Taican population. With a little crafty planning and quick thinking, Rori managed to snag the most insignificant responsibility a Ratnik could be given—protecting the Clan of the Far West, mostly from small animals.

"Oh stop! Stop running, you will hurt yourself. Get out of my way, child!" Rosalie huffed while chasing a Bleemie, a Porcupine-like creature the size of a large pig, with dangerous poisonous stone spikes covering its body. The chase also involved a tiny Taican girl running after the Bleemie to 'cuddle' him. Rori caught the kid, kicked down the nearest tree and set the child afloat in the nearby river in the direction of her house. Rivers in Taica were helpful. They were a blessing from the Mother really, and no one ever drowned in one unless their time was up. Rivers also always showed you the way home if you were lost.

Rori focused on the Bleemie so she could find its weakness. She could see how restless and fierce the creature was. Just as she thought she could move closer, two more attacked her from behind. Rori fought as bravely as one could with three Bleemies at the same time. Since she didn't have an audience any longer, she let go and used all her strength and agility. Within minutes, she had flung the fierce Bleemies over at a large rock. A resounding splat was heard, confirming the elimination of the threat.

Badly scratched by the poisonous Bleemies, Rori fainted before she could reach town, but fortunately was soon discovered by the little girl's parents. She was immediately taken to the nearest Healer's Chambers. She opened her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit room. Her eyes spotted a looming figure and she tensed, only relaxing when she realised that the figure was a Healer, with his traditional yellow robes.

She heard the kind voice of the Healer say, "You took quite a beating, Ratnik. How're you feeling now?"

He started checking her wounds without waiting for an answer. Rori wanted to object to his perusal but she also knew she needed healing. If he noticed her deliberate silence, he didn't mention it.

"I'm glad I got you," the Healer murmured.

Rori snapped her eyes open and glared at the Healer for alluding to 'getting' her. Nobody could 'get' Rori—she was her own person. The Healer gave her an easy, toothy smile and Rori rolled her eyes internally. 'Oh boy, another suitor.' Rori was a beautiful Taican female and she was used to the attention she received from the males on Taica. There wasn't a Ratnik who hadn't shown his teeth to Rori. It seemed this one was no different.

"I mean, I'm glad you were brought here under my care. Who are your parents, do I know them? Did you seek me out or did the Enlightened send you?"

"Now hold on, Healer. How does it matter who my parents are? And no, I did not 'seek' you out, seeing as I didn't know of your existence until a few moments ago. I don't even know your name. And who on Taica are the Enlightened?"

The Healer flashed her a look of horror before he answered in a measured tone, "You're right, your lineage doesn't matter. I'm known in the circles of the Far West and people do seek me out. I apologise for assuming about you. My name is Emmett; I'm more popularly known as Met. The Enlightened are nothing of importance. You need rest. I shall check on you again in a while."

When he turned around to walk away, Rori caught hold of his hand to stop him. The zing in their hands shocked the pair of them, but Met recovered and jerked his chin up in the universal gesture for 'what?'

"They are of importance or you wouldn't have mentioned them. Who are they?" Rori asked.

"The Healers that specialise in Trauma wounds are called the Enlightened. Now rest up."

Rori knew he was lying. There were no specialisations on Taica. Healers knew about every part of the Taican anatomy and medicine. Ratniks were trained as a one-person army from day one. 'Specialisation is for those that can't handle everything,' it was said.

Rori was not just the best Ratnik on Taica for her skills and strength. She could almost smell mystery on people. The Healer was hiding something and she knew it. She decided to let him keep his secrets for now. She needed to recover her strength to interrogate him when his guard was down.

Met was embarrassed and terrified by his actions. He had put all their lives in danger because his ego needed stroking. More like his cock needed stroking, but that was a thought for another day. He couldn't afford a Ratnik sniffing around him. His mission and the people they were protecting were too important.

Met was mentally berating himself when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Met? Are you okay, my child?"

"I'm a stupid man who's made a foolish mistake because of his pride. I'm so sorry, Mata. I don't know what I was thinking!"

Jeva, Met's mother made him sit down and handed him a drink. "Drink something, you'll feel better. Now tell me what happened?"

"I asked a Ratnik if she was sent by the Enlightened."

Jeva gasped, "Why would you DO that?"

"I know, I know! I was stupid Mata! She had the markings of a warrior and not faint ones either. I thought she was one of us, but she's an Ignorant."

Ignorants were Mystiques who didn't acknowledge their powers or who thought that their powers would 'go away.'

"Ignorant or not, she's a Ratnik! If she digs deeper into these woods and finds us, you will be responsible for her curiosity. For years we have maintained the illusion that the West has a sparse population. For years we have protected the families of the surviving and budding Mystiques. For years we have nurtured the belief that Mystiques are truly dead to safeguard the families and children of the Marked. And you, Emmett, son of Mason, the Leader of the Enlightened—you put us all on the radar of a Ratnik. Ratniks, who have destroyed us, who killed our children, who ostracised us and made us unwelcome on the planet we helped create. How could you be so stupid?"

"I'm sorry, Mata. I really thought her markings were too dark for her to be an Ignorant. In any case, she was heavily drugged and in a lot of pain. She won't remember a thing tomorrow and I'm never saying another word to her about us."

"You better hope so boy, because if she finds out about us, I'll kill you myself."

Over the next few days, Met avoided Rori as much as he could. He checked on her regularly but always timed it to her sleep cycle. He wanted her to heal quickly and leave, but he couldn't use his skills on her lest she got even more curious. Instead, he did things the Taican way. He applied the Taican medicines on her wounds and removed the last traces of Bleemie poison. He was curious about the Ratnik though.

It puzzled him as to how she had managed to hide such a prominent marking from her fellow Ratniks. Met concluded that no one knew how strong a Mystique this Ratnik was. His musings got the better of him one day, because lost in thought, he didn't realise that the Ratnik was awake and staring at him.

Rori tried to talk to him, but soon realised that interrogating the Healer would not work. Met might as well be a stone door with how close lipped he was. She noticed him looking at her markings. Hopefully he didn't remember the markings of a warrior, or Rori's life could be in danger. Strangely, even though the risk was so high, she didn't feel threatened by Met. Something in her gut, her instinct told her that he wouldn't tell anyone about the markings.

She wanted to run away but she also wanted to learn Met's secret. She decided to compromise. She took leave of Met's hospice and made her way back to the clan under her protection. But she continued to keep a close eye on him and tried to 'accidentally' meet him periodically.

The first time was when she saw Met restocking medicines in the City of the West. The City was a huge commercial centre, though it catered to the smallest population of Taica. It was a mystery why the city was always bustling with traders when there were not more than ten small clans in and around the city. Curious, indeed—

"Watch your step!"

Rori apologised to the trader and offered the Healer a friendly greeting. Met was shocked to see her but schooled his expression before Rori could see it. They exchanged pleasantries and Met quickly left the store and the conversation. His chest ached while leaving, though.

The ache lessened each time they 'accidentally' met. Met cursed himself for liking a sworn enemy of his people. He cursed his luck that she was an Ignorant. He would've still tried to introduce her to the Enlightened, but it was the worst fate that she was a Ratnik.

Rori's plan was not working as she had hoped. Their conversations started with pleasantries and greetings, but soon evolved into chats about their everyday lives. The more she found out about him, the more she liked the person he was. She thought they would surely progress to more when they exchanged toothy grins, but she was sobered by the flash of pain she saw in Met's eyes.

It was then that the Mother finally arranged for an unplanned meeting.

The Enlightened gave basic fighting and healing training to each member of their group to improve their chances of survival. Met was a natural healer but he was also one of their best fighters. He had been trained in the art by a Ratnik—the only Ratnik to ever leave the force, the Ratnik who later became the Leader of the Enlightened—his father.

Met was training with three apprentices when he heard the screams. All four ran towards the noise.

They saw a bunch of Bleemies surrounding a trap pit. Met sent a quick prayer to the Mother to protect whoever was trapped in that pit, because Bleemies could devour a person. Suddenly, a Bleemie flew out of the trap, landing with a hard thud on the ground, dead. Met and his apprentices were stunned at the sheer strength of the person trapped in the pit. The rest of the Bleemies were now shifting around restlessly. One of them slipped into the pit only to be regurgitated again with the same force.

The Bleemies ran in different directions after that. Met and his friends peered into the pit to find Rori in all her glory. She had been checking the perimeter of her territory, when she had misstepped and landed in a deep trap pit. Met had never seen Rori look more glorious, and if he was honest with himself, more attractive than that moment, with dirt and dried leaves stuck to her body. In a flash, he realised that Rori was no Ignorant. She knew about her powers and used them when she thought no one was watching.

When Rori looked up and saw Met with three boys, her first reaction was relief at not having to stay trapped in this pit for the night. Her second reaction was dread, because they must have seen her kick the Bleemies out of the pit. Her third reaction was determination to silence the witnesses. Rori waited till they pulled her out of the pit and then swiftly and silently knocked out the three kids, before she grabbed her knife and went for Met.

Met was looking through his medicine bag to heal the small bruises he had seen on Rori's body, when he heard—nothing. There was no noise; the wilderness was too quiet. He could feel a presence behind him and instinctually he grabbed the person behind him and pushed them against the nearest tree trunk. Met and Rori were inches apart when he saw the knife in her hand.

"What do you think you're doing, Rori?" Met was furious. Had it been any other Ratnik, he would have already killed her.

"I'm sorry, Met. I know what you saw and I can't let you tell anyone. I can't let you ruin my parents' reputation. They are respected people in Taica and I can't let my abnormality ostracise them."

"Abnormal? You think Mystiques are abnormal, you ignorant fool?"

"Don't call me a Mystique. I can't be associated with them. They're a myth and I'm a Ratnik." Rori turned her head to the side because she couldn't meet Met's eyes.

"You are a Mystique. You're the Warrior. You have the marking of the Warrior right here." Met traced his fingers below her collar bone. Rori felt energy pulsing through her every nerve end when Met touched her body.

"You're the most beautiful Mystique in Taica. It's a shame you're a Ratnik too."

Met's soft words broke the euphoria of his touch. Rori summoned all her energy and raised her arm. She jabbed the knife in his side and muttered, "It's an honour to be a Ratnik." She then twisted the knife, causing Met to squeeze her arms painfully.

Met opened his eyes and smashed his lips against hers. He pulled her hair with one hand to bring her closer and pulled the knife out of his side with the other. He bit her lip when the knife was pulled out, wanting her to feel a fraction of the pain that was coursing through him. They continued kissing and pulling and pushing until they couldn't breathe.

By the time they moved away from each other, Met's injury was healed. Rori let out a gasp when the realisation set in.

"You're one of them! You're a–a Mystique!"

"Yes, and you're one of us."

"But… but, how? Mystiques are dead! I'm an anomaly!"

"No, Rori my love. You're not an anomaly. You're a warrior. You're The Warrior. There's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm the Healer. Look at my markings. You're not the only one."

Met opened his shirt and showed her the markings of the Healer sitting right above his heart. Rori extended her fingers to trace the mark. Met held her hand to his chest before she could remove it.

"I'm not the only one," Rori said so softly, she might as well have been talking to herself.

"No, you're definitely not. You have no idea just how many Mystiques live peacefully in hiding from the Taicans."

"So, regeneration is your power?" Rori kept her hands on Met's chest.

"Uhm, no actually I've never seen myself do that. This is new for me."

"I've discovered a new power too. That's why I was here today. I wanted to practice and explore it."

Her arms moved up his shoulders and tugged him forward. Met kissed her neck and breathed in her scent. "What's your new power?"

"Fire. I can feel the essence of fire. I burnt a tree to a crisp the other day. I don't know how to control it."

"I know a few pyros but none who can burn a whole tree to a crisp." Met thought hard about someone who could help Rori control her fire power, but none came to mind immediately.

"I know someone who can help us but you have to promise to keep an open mind and not go Ratnik on them," he finally said.

Rori pushed him away. "What kind of savage do you take me for? What does 'going Ratnik on someone' even mean?"

Met put both his arms around her. "I'm sorry, my love. I just don't want you to scare them."

"You've said that before, do you mean it?"

"Said what?"

"Your love, you called me your love. Do you mean it?"

"Oh Rori," Met took her face in his palms. "I mean it from my core, my beautiful Ratnik. I'm so in love with you. I'm yours for taking however you'll have me."

Rori smiled her biggest smile when she said, "You are everything to me. I love you too."

Met kissed her with all his love. They spent the rest of the night discussing their futures and her safety along with the families under protection of the Enlightened. The next morning, Met took Rori to the Enlightened headquarters.

Rori surprisingly got along famously with Met's father, Mason. Mason knew what it was like to be in Rori's position. He wasn't marked with the symbol of the Seven, but was a powerful Mystique nonetheless. Mason helped Rori realise that she was a warrior. Mystique or not, Ratnik or not, she was going to remain a warrior.

Mason's mate Jeva was not so warm towards the young Ratnik girl. Jeva had never trusted the Ratniks. It had taken her forever to trust Mason and even more to love him. She thought Met deserved someone better. He deserved someone like Kat, who had been his best friend since childhood. But Jeva loved her son. Thus, when Met told his parents about their new powers, it was Jeva who told Rori and Met that their love was the reason their powers had expanded. She explained that even among the Enlightened, the strongest Mystiques were the ones with mates.

This led to a discussion about Rori's training in controlling fire. They went to Wren, one of the oldest surviving Enlightened. A scholar, old Wren was the keeper of all available knowledge on Mystiques. She told Rori and Met about Shaj, a fire-breathing, reptilian bird. Like Lagan, Shaj was one of the original Mystiques of Taica. But Shaj too had disappeared deep into the wilderness when the Mystiques had been wiped out in the Old War. Wren told Met and Rori that Shaj could be found in the Rexen Mountains.

Thus, it was decided that Rori and Met would embark upon the journey of their lives, towards the Rexen Mountains.

Every culture needs preservers lest it perish under time's duress. The preservers of the Taican culture were of two kinds, the Scholars and the Priests. The Scholars documented all the knowledge they received from the Priests. They studied ancient languages and history to help advice the Just in ruling the planet. The Priests were the moral compass of the ruler, who reminded Taicans to never disrespect the Mother and the life forms on the planet. Priests were the best counsels because they were the best listeners. They were the most patient, gentle and compassionate Taicans. There was a phrase in Taica that "one's secret is priest-safe", which meant that it would never be revealed.

This is probably why Priest Garret, or Gar, knew all the secrets at the campsite of the Enlightened. Gar's parents had left him there to die many years ago, and he had grown up in the camp. The only orphan in camp apart from Gar was Kat, but growing up Kat had a Grammy who loved her more than life. When Kat recently lost her Grammy, the Scholar Wren, Gar was the only one who knew how she was feeling.

He wanted to help her but he had no idea how. A few years older than her, Gar knew he wasn't in her inner circle of friends. Then one day, he heard Mason tell Jeva that the camp needed a Scholar now that Kat's Grammy, Wren, had passed away. Gar jumped at the opportunity. The very next day, he sent a message to Kat to come assist him as a Scholar in his office.

Kat was devastated when she lost her great-gran. Her parents had died during one of the campsite moves when she was very young—the camp shifted base every few months to ensure the Mystiques could not be traced. As a child, Kat was one of the quickest learners to read and write. Growing up, Kat was a quiet girl. She was no pushover mind you; she was a fierce fighter. She'd just rather read a book or write about things than have personal interactions. Not many people understood her. Her knowledge intimidated them.

When Kat received Gar's invitation to assist him, she thanked the Mother many times over. If one more person on the camp had looked at her with pity, she would've taken their eyes out. Her Grammy had been the most knowledgeable Taican on the planet and Kat wanted to be that person too. She wanted to be the best scholar in Taica.

"Gar, you asked for me?" Kat entered Gar's beautiful office. It was beautiful because it was a powerhouse of knowledge. Grammy had collected all the texts that could be found about Mystiques, and it seemed that Gar was an avid reader himself. There were books on every surface of his office, and Kat couldn't see the walls with how high the books were piled.

"Oh yes, of course. I found something I was wondering if you could translate. How many languages do you know?"

"Do you mean speech or reading and writing?"

"Reading and writing; speech isn't that important for my work. Though I'm curious now, how many languages can you speak?"

"Let's see, I speak five, I'm working on the sixth one. I can read and write about eleven, though."

"Eleven! Are you serious?"

"I know—it's only eleven and I'm a scholar and I should know at least a few more if not all. But I'm learning; I'll get there."

"No, no, please," Gar interrupted. "Eleven is a lot! I'm just wondering how you know so many. Even your Grammy knew only six or maybe seven languages. Wow, I'm really impressed, Kate."

"It's Kat."

"I'm sorry?"

"No one calls me Kate anymore." Kat said with a heavy voice. Grammy was the only one who had called her Kate.

Gar immediately felt bad. "I'm really sorry, Kate–Kat. It's just that your Grammy talked about you all the time and she always called you Kate. It just got stuck in my head. I didn't mean to upset you."

She nodded a little stiffly. "You had translations for me."

"Yes, I found these on my recent travels. And from the few words I can read of this language, it looks like an instructional guidebook or something."

The Mysticism of Teleportation

"Oh dear Mother!" she exclaimed.

"What? Kat? Kat, are you alright?" Gar touched her hand that was holding the bound scraps of paper.

"It's a textbook on Teleportation," Kat whispered in disbelief.

"Do we know any Teleporters?"

"No, I've never met one or heard of one. I don't even know how many centuries ago this was written. How did you even find this?" Kat took his hand that was still holding hers and squeezed it in excitement.

"I was counselling a man who had lost his grandparents. He was a trader in the City of the West. He had this old box of texts that he didn't know what to do with. So he gave them to me. These were the first bound pieces of paper I found there."

"You mean there are more of these?" Kat's eyes were so big Gar thought they were going to pop right out. She looked off into the distance, and her eyes grew unfocused and dreamy.

"Kate, please focus! Let's do one thing at a time. You work on translating this into the common tongue. I will try and find more bundles in that box. So you have more work once you're done with this. Okay?"

"Yes! Yes, you're right. Where should I set up?"

"Oh you're going to love your nook!" Gar took her hand again and guided her through a maze of books. She was sure she'd never know how big the office really was, because of all the books, scrolls and parchments stacked all over the place! Right in the midst of all the dusty books was a cushy alcove with comfortable seats and tons of natural light. It was perfect!

"This is... wow. Wow!"

"This was Wren's cave. This was where she worked. You can still smell her in some of these books." Gar had a fond smile on his face.

"You really liked her, didn't you?"

"Well, she was the only family I ever had." His smile dimmed.

"You never had a family?" Kat asked.

"Oh, look at the time! I am late for an appointment. You can work for a long as you'd like. Would you like me to add a guard outside? Wren never had one but I can arrange one for you." Gar said the whole thing so fast that half of it came out as a mumble.

"No, no. I don't need that at all. I can take care of myself, plus we're in the camp—it's the safest place on Taica. I'll be perfectly okay."

Gar came back to from his 'appointment' quite late in the night. The appointment had, of course, been his feeble excuse to get away from Kat's curious eyes. Maybe it was the scholar in her that needed to know everything. She didn't mean it, but her curiosity dug a deeper hole of loneliness in Gar's heart.

He went to check her desk, only to find it empty. She must've left, of course. As Gar was perusing the surroundings, his hand absentmindedly stroked the air above the seat's handle. He never thought air could feel soft like skin. Gar smiled at the sensation. His fingers slowly travelled up and down the arm of the seat as if he was playing a musical instrument. He hadn't been with a female in the longest time. He missed the softness of a female's touch. The way small goose bumps can be felt on their skin when they're touched the right way. He could actually feel goose bumps under his fingers.

He was startled out of his thoughts by a gasp.

Kat started appearing slowly where the seat was. Gar snatched his hand back, as he realised that his fingers had been stroking real skin. 'Oh Mother, what did I do?'

He mumbled a quick apology, which was lost in Kat's bustle to hurry out of the office. Only after Kat had reached home did she realise how much she had liked his fingers on her skin. 'Mother, help me!'

The next few days were awkward. Kat and Gar stayed as far from each other as they could. Gar assumed invisibility was Kat's power. Sometimes, when Kat was consumed with her work, Gar peeked in at her to find her getting translucent, but not completely invisible. Watching her, however discreetly, was fascinating for Gar. She was a quiet person who never shut her mouth; she was a constant mutterer. Whether it was the texts she was reading or translating or when she was writing—she constantly spoke under her breath. Gar found it adorable.

A month after the 'incident' as Kat called it in her head, she went to Gar with something she had found. Gar was shocked to learn that there were more texts and documents about elemental powers in the Mystiques of the old world. When Rori had come to the camp with a possibility of an elemental power, she was dismissed as an anomaly. But the information that Kat had found—this was exactly what Met and Rori had left the camp to find.

One night, Gar made some refreshing warm Bajym for Kat as they worked their way through the book. Bajym was made of a rich, dark, bitter seed much like cocoa on earth, and was the staple drink in West Taica. The Easterners on the other hand, liked to boil sweet leaves in a Paba's milk, a very weird combination of sweet and sour, called Furcsa. Paba was a lamb-like creature with reindeer antlers and fur.

Gar passed the cup to Kat without realising that he had made it move towards her, rather than handing it to her.

"So you're a telekinetic? Is that your power?"

Gar was embarrassed. He was so comfortable around Kat that he hadn't even realised he had used his powers.

"Uhm, no actually, I can make inanimate objects alive for a little while."

"You can what?" Kat had the most incredulous expression on her face.

Gar then explained how he had been scared one night and made his toy soldier come alive to fight the monsters lurking in the shadows. His parents found the toy walking by itself the next day, and his mother screamed as if James was back to destroy Taica again. A few days later, Gar was dropped at the camp and his parents never came back to pick him up. As he grew up, the animation became a handy tool to get his chores done quickly.

"So, that's how you reach the books stuck in your tall stacks, you just ask them to crawl to you," she exclaimed.

Gar laughed, but couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes. She put her hands on his and said, "Loneliness is exhausting. I can understand why you needed company." She smiled at him and he smiled back, a toothy smile. It startled her but she settled in next to him and put her head on his shoulder. He kissed her head and together they continued to read.

Their days and nights were spent in each other's words and thoughts respectively. They talked about everything and nothing. Gar showed her his marking of the Priest on the side of his waist. Kat showed him her marking of the Scholar, which was getting darker each day. She knew what it meant. Her Grammy had told her what Jeva had told Met and Rori. Gar completed her in ways she hadn't even known she was lacking.

One day, Kat found herself stuck between a book case and a large book crate. The trader from the City of the West had found even more 'useless papers' in an old house and decided to trade them with Gar. Kat had tried to retrieve some books from the new crate, but ended up stuck. She couldn't move no matter how she twisted and turned. She huffed in annoyance. Gar was out as well—in fact, he had been out a lot, lately. He was behaving weirdly, disappearing for hours and coming back covered in mud. Maybe he just wanted to stay away from her. 'Oh please let it not be someone else!'

Kat didn't know when he would be back and this place was melting her with how hot it was. She could move her limbs strategically enough to open the strings of her top. She managed to shrug out of her top and sighed in relief as the air hit her overheated skin. Kat decided to go invisible so she could avoid potential embarrassment in case someone entered unexpectedly.

Gar walked in just minutes later, covered in mud as was common these past few days. Kat wanted to make a noise to alert him to her presence, but before she could open her mouth he removed his mud-stained shirt to reveal an even more mud-stained chest. Kat felt her cheeks get warm and her voice died in her throat. She couldn't stop staring at his ripped chest and those strong, muscled arms. She closed her eyes briefly to absorb the beauty she had just witnessed. When she opened them, Gar had taken off his pants as well, and was wiping the mud off his body. The sight made her so hot. But when Gar started to touch himself, she could not hold back her startled shriek. Gar whipped his head towards the sound, but only saw a flash of Kate before she disappeared.

He swiftly dressed and apologised profusely.

"Kat? Kate, I'm really sorry. Kate, please forgive me. I didn't know you were in the room. Kate, please!"

Garret searched all over his office. He felt each surface, but she was nowhere. He was panicking now. Where has she vanished to? Did someone hurt her? He then ran to her house and saw that it was illuminated. He banged on the door, but she didn't open it. He then asked the door to open, and when it did, he went inside and asked the door not to allow anyone else in. Gar saw Kat sitting on the floor with her head between her knees.

She was so embarrassed. 'Why didn't I make a noise before? Oh how terrible!'

Gar sighed in relief when he saw her and he took her into his arms—knees and all.

"Where were you? How did you get here? I was looking everywhere for you. Oh, you have no idea how worried I've been. How did you just vanish?"

"I–I don't know. One moment I was there and another I was here. I don't know what happened. I panicked!"

"Oh my heart," Garret hugged her close and kissed her head. "Is that your scholarly power too? That you read something and it immediately happens to you? Is that how you're teleporting now?"

"Oh! You mean I teleported? But–but, I've never done that. I've always vanished out of sight but never out of space."

Gar smiled a small smile. "Are you getting a new power?"

"I don't know," she whispered, her cheeks colouring at the meaning of his words.

"It's okay if you are. You know that right? I–I'm developing new powers too. Haven't you noticed how I've been covered in mud lately?"

"That's because of your new power? I thought..."

"What did you think?" Gar asked her when Kat trailed off.

"I thought you were bothered by me or that there was someone else. Is it someone else?" Kat asked urgently when she suddenly realised that she may have misunderstood him.

"No! Of course, not! I've been spending all my time with you, silly! I've been in love with you all this while, Kat. I don't even know when it happened and how, but I've not been able to stop thinking about you from the first day."

"I've been thinking about you too! You fit me like you've been marked for me. You make me so happy. I love you so much, Gar! I love you!"

"Oh Kate, Kate, Kate! You've made me the happiest Taican on the planet!" Gar hugged her close and Kate hugged him right back. She cupped his cheeks with her hands and said, "Can I kiss you?"

"Always—"

Kat silenced him in the best way possible. Soon, they were a tangle of limbs on the floor. The night was beautiful even though Kat's teleporting got out of hand and she ended up in a different room twice. But they had a good laugh and realised they needed to read the text from a practical and not theoretical point of view to understand and control these new powers.

"Where are you going? Should I come with you? I could teleport us both, you know. I've gotten much better at controlling it now," Kat asked Gar a few days later.

"I want to understand my power over the element of Land. I've been able to understand a lot from the scriptures available with us, but they're not complete. I want to go to the Central City and study elemental power there."

"But that information is locked away—it is forbidden to access those texts."

"Unless you're the Priest of the Seven," he said.

Kat couldn't believe what she had just heard. "You want to work as an advisor to the Just? He's on his way to becoming another James! How could you think about assisting and advising him when you've been a part of the revolution from childhood? Do our lives mean nothing to you? Our sacrifice?" How Gar could even imagine working for that vile man was beyond her understanding.

"Our sacrifice means everything to me! I want to gain the elemental knowledge to dethrone the Just. Come on, Kat, think! If you want to defeat the slime, you have to be a part of the mud. When the time comes and the prophecy is fulfilled, we will need people in the Just's inner circle to help the revolutionaries."

"Do you really believe in the prophecy?"

"Of course I do. Reborn will be the seven when the Just at hand is a heathen. Reborn will be the Just that couldn't fulfil her purpose. Reborn will be the powers that Taica hasn't seen in years. Reborn will be a revolution that will be led by Mason. We are the prophesised seven, Kat. Met is the Healer, Rori is the Warrior, you are the Scholar and I'm the Priest. We just need to find the other three and the true Just. I believe that my purpose right now is to serve the wicked Just. I want to become the person he trusts the most."

"Then you won't be the only one. Every Priest needs a Scholar and I'm yours." Kat smiled at Gar and held his hand tight.

"You don't have to do that, Kat. It's not safe." Gar pleaded with his words, but his eyes spoke differently.

"I'm safe with you. I want to be with you, please."

"So be it. We leave tomorrow."

Every sovereign depended on its economy to function. There were all manner of traders in Taica—the rich traders who traded with the smaller ones, and the small traders who traded with the rest of the population.

Edd was the son of the richest trader of Taica. Since the time he was born till he achieved puberty, his parents kept him away from society, because they didn't want anyone to create a ruckus about Edd's 'abnormality'. But once Edd's powers developed so that he could read their thoughts clearly and see the images in their heads, they realised the potential of his talent. They used him to gather information about their competitors and paid him handsomely for his discretion. No one in the family apart from his parents knew about his ability.

Edd hated the 'obligations' his father asked from him. But he also loved the small-trader meetings, because he had an array of beautiful experiences to read and explore in their minds. Almost every trader had a fond memory of the City of the West. So as soon as he was of age and had enough money, Edd set off to the City of the West to find a new life there.

The City of the West was a mysterious place. The most curious people with curious thoughts dwelled around this city. The more he heard the thoughts of these Mystiques, the more he learned about the Enlightened, the more intrigued he was. He wanted to help the revolution but didn't know how to join them. He had survived all his life in a simple, quiet manner. He hardly ever needed to communicate, because he heard everyone's thoughts just fine. He always said what the other person wanted to hear and had probably the shortest conversations in Taica, if one was keeping track of that sort of thing.

He once received a chest of books and papers from a trader for free; the trader wanted to travel, and didn't wish to carry such a heavy object with him. Lucky for Edd, he could read a lot more languages than the average person because mind readers get mind numbingly bored when they have only their parents' lacklustre minds to read. He skimmed the works and thanked the Mother that these papers hadn't reached the hands of any other Taican, or worse, a Ratnik. Edd found a Mystique priest who was looking for reading material and traded the chest with him. He then made it a mission to find more material on the Mystiques and send it to the priest. He wanted to contribute in their rebellion in any small way that he could.

He found two more crates of texts and useful material before the Ratniks grew suspicious of him. Edd usually read their minds and found ways to avoid their traps but he couldn't always save himself.

He was running as fast as he could. He could feel the Ratnik catch up to him, but just when he thought his life was over, he slid into a dark cave and lost consciousness.

He woke up to a sweet, panicking voice.

"Is he dead?" Oh mother, please! Please don't be dead, you pale gorgeous creature. Bad, Isa, bad girl—you should've never pulled him in. You wanted to save him but he's dead instead. Are you happy now? This is why you should stay away from Taicans. You are not safe for them, Isa. Oh but I'm stuck here in this damp cave because those Trader-favourer Ratniks wanted to whip me, ME, for asking for fair wages. Ha! They couldn't even see me with the sand I threw in their eyes. What a hilarious sight, I don't even know why I was so upset. Oh no, the dead man. Oh Mother, now he's going to rot in my cave and the Ratniks are right outside. I can't even throw his dead body out. Maybe I can burn it? It would kill the smell. I'll do that, I'll burn him.

"No!" Edd sat up at the thought of her burning him. Who is this girl and why doesn't she stop thinking for one singular moment. Mata! Is that too much to ask!

"Who are you?" he asked.

Isa, of course!

"How is your name a matter of fact?" Who is this girl?

"Huh?" How is what? What a strange Taican.

"What is your name, if I may ask?"

Ugh, another trader. "My name is Isa."

Edd looked at her cautiously. Now what do I say, I've asked her name. I know why she pulled me and what she's running from. This is why I don't talk to people. It's so awkward.

Why is he staring at me like that? Hey, where do you think you're going, Paba? Come back here this instant! I need to milk you, I want a Furcsa.

"Furcsa?" she asked. "Do you know how to make one?" Never heard of someone who liked Furcsa in the West; they usually drink something vile called a Bajym.

"Yes, of course!"

"Do you have something spare to eat, I haven't been able to eat since the morning."

"Yes, of course!"

"Uhm, I'll just take that corner right there and settle for the night. I think the Ratniks should be gone by the morning."

"Sure, of course. How comfortable do you like your bed?"

"Excuse me?"

What? I just asked a simple question! Why is this Taican so uncomfortable? I gave him shelter, he could be thankful for Mother's sake!

"I like a fluffy soft bed. See?" She showed him a patch of grass and wild flowers at one end of the cave.

"Oh, well I like my bed soft too, I think."

"Yes, of course!" And she closed her eyes.

Of course! Edd rolled his eyes. This girl was starting to annoy him now. How does she live in such a large cave? She also has a pet Paba! Pabas can't be tamed, their nature isn't domestic. That is why Paba's milk is an expensive commodity. She's also definitely a Mystique but I'm not sure if she's an Ignorant. She seemed to talk to the Paba in her head so maybe that's her power.

He heard a slight noise and turned to see a patch of grass and wildflowers growing beside Isa's 'bed.' Oh Mata! Is this real? She can control both animals and plants? Who is this girl and how has she stayed alive all this while? She has no qualms about using her powers in my presence. Does she not fear the Taicans? What if I wasn't a Mystique? What if I handed her over to the Ratniks outside? How can she trust me? And where is that fishermen's town she keeps thinking about? She calls it home in her head.

"What is this?" Edd asked, his voice reflecting the incredulity of his thoughts.

"This is your bed, of course!"

Mother, give me patience.

"I can see that. Why is it beside yours?"

"Because it's the warmest part of the cave and has a small opening for breeze above if it gets too warm in the night."

"It's chilly already, how do you expect warmth when the Fheshi has set?"

"I'll light a fire, of course!"

"You have no fuel and no wood! So no, it's not a matter of fact that you will light a fire!" I'm going to lose my mind living in this cave!

"Psh, you don't need wood or fuel. You have me. Plus there are a few more hours for the Fheshi to set, so you have nothing to worry about, Trader."

I have her? What does that mean? Will she burn herself as fuel? How things are so matter of fact for this female, I still don't know!

"What does that even mean? How will having you help us light a fire?"

The girl rolled her eyes. Oh what an impatient soul! This is why you shouldn't talk to people in Taica, Isa. They don't know you or understand you. Come on Isa, focus. Yes, fire—he wanted to see fire. Well it is going to get hotter than Fheshi at peak time, but he asked for it. I wish I knew how to dim or influence the fire. Oh well, I'll know with time.

Edd saw Isa make some complex movements with her hands and suddenly there was fire in the middle on the sand. No fuel, nothing but air in flames. He was speechless. Just how powerful is this girl?

She raised her eyebrows in the universal 'you have something to say?' expression. Edd shook his head and quietly sat down on his end of the flower bed. He spent the next few hours watching and learning everything he could about Isa.

Her mind was the most fascinating he had ever read. He learnt that Isa had lived in a fishing town down the river, near the sea. She had grown up with a bunch of boys from the town and worked as an unskilled labourer for the local traders.

She's an orphan. Lost her mother at birth and lost her father to the sea. She is so brave; I had terribly selfish parents but they left me wanting for nothing but their love. I respect her for being so self-sufficient from such a young age.

They were forced to stay inside the cave for the next few days, because there were massive thunderstorms outside. If the Ratniks wouldn't kill them, the storm would. The more Edd got to know Isa, the more he liked her.

Her thoughts and emotions were all over the place, but Edd was fascinated. One moment she was trying to remember a soup recipe; the next moment she thought of the time she discovered she could grow plants. She had been six years old and a trader had pushed her to the ground. Edd was appalled at the insensitivity of the trader. He was relieved that the cruel trader never looked back to see that Isa fell on wildflowers instead of hard ground. In her memory, Isa saw herself playing with the wildflowers she had accidentally grown, but Edd could see the tears rolling down the little girl's face.

He was also uncomfortable that Isa had been surrounded by a hoard of admirers that she never noticed. But Edd noticed them because he saw her memories. For instance, she remembered walking down the river to play in the water, and Edd saw the males around her pause and stare at her beauty. Her memories and thoughts never gave him the whole picture so he asked her to explain a few things here and there. She was startled to hear his questions at first, but she never shied away from them. In fact, she seemed quite happy to answer them. It was then that Edd noticed that unlike most people, Isa spoke exactly what she thought, word to word. And Edd fell a little more for her honesty.

Isa didn't quite know what to make of the Trader. He was a quiet one, unlike her. He seemed content in his own head, so she gave up trying to converse with him. She thought about her life and went on with her daily chores. Even though he was quiet and kept to himself, it was nice having someone around. Isa enjoyed his company and the small conversations he initiated with her.

She had been surprised the first morning when they woke up in each other's arms. She had never touched a male body intimately because the boys would've killed any Taican trying to smile hard at her, but more so because she had never felt so connected to anyone. The next morning, she wasn't as surprised, and the mornings after that she just got used to it.

Maybe he didn't have anywhere to put his hands and was cold so he pulled me close? The storm seems to be letting up. Hopefully the Fheshi will dry out the slippery mud at the entrance. As much as I like having him here, I know Mr. Trader won't stay with me for more days than he absolutely must. Why would he? I have nothing to trade with him and he doesn't look like he needs an unskilled labourer.

After some days, the storm did let up and Fheshi did dry the mud, but Edd never mentioned going anywhere. He seemed content to stay with her in the cave. For days, he helped milk the Paba and talked to her about her life. He also told her about his life before his move to the West. Isa often felt as though he wasn't painting a complete picture, but she never faulted him for it. She told him what he wanted to know and nothing else. Thankfully, he always seemed content with how much she shared. She loved how in tune he was with her thoughts.

Lately, he was there when she needed him, for every small thing and big. She didn't even realise how much she had started depending on him until one day he walked out of the cave without a word to her. Her heart hurt like someone had stabbed her with a sharp knife. She then tried to convince herself that he wasn't meant to stay forever. He had never smiled at her. He had no reason to stay.

That night when he came back, he had the biggest smile on his face. Isa didn't know what to make of it. She saw him carry in a bag of what appeared to be berries and fruits of different kinds. Isa had no idea that he had been missing fruits.

I could've made some! Why didn't the foolish boy ask me to make some, instead of going to pick them and making me worry all day for him? And why is he still smiling?

"You were worried?" he asked.

"Of course I was! You wanted berries; you just had to ask for them. I'm Isa! I can make berries and fruits for you! How long have you been living with me? Do you not know I can do anything?"

He gaped at her silently.

"What? What're you staring at?" Isa realised that in her agitation, she had taken off her top, leaving her in just a thin chemise that only covered her breasts. She immediately rushed to put on a top.

"And now I know why you can do the things you can."

"What are you talking about?"

"How did you not know? Why didn't anyone tell you? How did they let you out of their sight? You are what they're waiting for!"

Oh Mother! He picked a wrong berry. He's lost his mind. Oh please let him not be poisoned. He can't die!

"What are you going on about? You are making no sense!" she said out loud.

"This! I'm talking about your markings, Isa!" Edd pointed towards her stomach.

"Oh, them—what about them?"

"You really don't know? You have the markings of the Just, Isa. That's why you have all these extraordinary powers. That's why you can do what you do. Oh no, and now you have Ratniks after you. This is not good, not good at all."

Edd could hear Isa's amusement in her thoughts. She thought he was adorable for worrying about her.

"It's not funny, Isa. There are dangerous people that can harm you."

"No, Edd. Nothing can harm me. I'm Isa; I can kill a Taican in six different ways with my bare hands. My boys have taught me very well. Do not worry for me, but do tell me about this 'Just' you spoke about. Who is that?"

And so, Edd told her all he knew about the Mystiques and the history of the Old War and the rebellion. Isa was furious to learn how the Mystiques had been hiding to save their lives because of the ignorance of the Taicans. She vowed to make the wrongs right again. She also vowed to never let Edd go, because not having him around the whole day had made her life darker than night. The realisation hit her out of nowhere. She dropped the spoon in her hand. I love him!

I love you too!

Isa's eyes snapped to his when she heard his voice in her head. And they were blinded by a flash of white light.

"Did you see that?" Rori asked Met.

"Lightning?"

"No, this was something different."

"What's that light, Li-Li?" Japp asked the smiling Li-Li.

"It's the Light of love."

Gar looked at Kat and they voiced their shared thought, "The Just has accepted its mate!"

Mother smiled at Isa and Edd. Now the rebellion could truly begin.

This is a sample entry for your reference and enjoyment. Entries are coming right after this. Show us some love.

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