Chapter 6: FERA

From the tree I watched Ruby and Silver strike up a conversation. From this distance, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I had my suspicions. Turning my gaze back towards the funeral pyre, I was glad I had a mask on, it filtered the smell—

How terrible the thought was. There were once human bodies being consumed by the flames, and my only thought was that I was grateful I couldn't smell the burning flesh. I wondered if the others felt the same way, or if I just wasn't entirely human anymore.

I supposed that made sense.

I certainly didn't feel human anymore.

"Whatcha doing?" I stiffened, glancing down to see the Shaling at the base of the tree I was hidden in. Narrowing my eyes at the child-like being, I wondered how perceptive she must be in order to be able to sense my presence. Now she definitely wasn't human.

I didn't like talking to strangers. I didn't like talking, period. I heaved a sigh, swinging down from the branch, landing on the balls of my feet, the Shaling leaped back a bit, a smile permanently frozen on her face.

"We didn't introduce ourselves earlier, I'm Adora!" She grinned, holding her hand out, "I saw that this is how humans normally introduce themselves." I eyed her hand before hesitatingly shaking the tiny hand. Child. But I knew a child didn't have the kind of destructive magic power that she had shown while fighting the vampires.

"Fera." I said, and she let go of my hand, clapping excitedly.

"Nice to meet you Fera!"

Too happy, why was she so happy? Did she not understand what we had done? The lives that had been lost?

The dead cannot come back.

The dead must remain in the past. The living look towards the future. That is what got me through my dark days. I couldn't look back, couldn't let the past haunt me, yet I couldn't let it go.

"Fera."

I looked up, it was Ruby, immediately I turned away. I couldn't let the past go.

"Wait, please?" She asked as I walked away, she followed me, just like when we were kids. I wondered how different our lives would have been if she hadn't chosen to abandon me. If she hadn't decided to—

Would I still be human then?

"Fera, I need to talk to you." She was jogging to keep up now as I wandered down the road, was it foolish to leave the villagers? Probably, but Silver and Adora were there. They would be fine.

We kept down the beaten path, beasts wandered the hills around us, panthers and bulls fought against one another in the underbrush, soldiers worked desperately to keep the numbers back.

Discouraged, Ruby began to speak, "Fera, we shouldn't leave—"

I stopped and turned, narrowing my eyes at her, she nearly ran into me. She had changed a lot since we were younger, she definitely looked the part of a priestess, with clothes, no, a uniform that only they were allowed to wear.

Forget the past, but how could I forget the choice that made all of this? Her choice. "Won't you talk?" She asked quietly, I hesitated, talking wasn't my strong suit, Silver was the exception, but even then, we were both comfortable with silence.

"Then listen." She demanded, I watched as a panther prowled closer to us, watching, waiting. It would be a simple matter to kill it, but I wanted to see what it would do. "I didn't mean to abandon you, I didn't know that you would misunderstand."

"Misunderstand?" I asked, my voice hard, was it a misunderstanding that she left me alone, or was that not the definition of abandonment? The thought invaded bitterly.

"I decided to train with the Arcanum for us. It would protect us both, I did it for you!" She cried and I scowled at her, that was convenient of her to say, after what, 10 years? No, I didn't buy it, not one bit. I had had my fair share of betrayals, but none had hit harder than hers. My sister betrayed and abandoned me.

"Look," she took a deep breath, calming herself, she was like an open book, emotions splaying across easily. She was nothing like me. Hiding my emotions was just part of the job. The job I had to choose because she left me.

If she hadn't made that choice, would my emotions be just as easy to read?

"Fera, I never meant to hurt you." She whispered, "please, that's all I wanted to say."

Panther eyes flashed as he decided to pounce. Knives cracked through the air, sparks flying as my blades cut through the flesh, its own momentum playing a part in its downfall. Ruby gasped and turned around, I knew I moved too fast for normal people to see, it was the experience of years of hard training.

And suffering.

I hesitated for a moment before turning to Ruby. "I don't hate you. You made me gain the strength to stand alone. Thank you."

She was stunned, confused, it was easy to see the emotions, her ruby eyes clouded over for a moment, "You've suffered a lot. I'm sorry."

This body was covered in scars. Each one told a story of failure, of mistakes. I wore them as reminders. How hypocritical of me to think I would forget the past when it was carved into my own skin?

But in the end, would I have liked the life I would have had if I remained weak? Would being human appeal to me? I didn't know. All I knew was this life I had now. And despite the hardships, the memories, the nightmares that plagued my mind. If given the choice, I don't think I would give it up.

No. I had too much to live for—

There was a caw, and I looked up, a large black raven was flying by, instantly my arm went up and it landed on my forearm. A messenger, the Onyx Order had these specially trained ravens, they allowed easy and fast communication between different units.

I untied the message from its foot,

"What is it?" Ruby asked, peering over my shoulder, I shrugged, I wasn't entirely comfortable with her. Not yet. 10 years had changed a lot, had changed us both a lot. I couldn't trust her. Not yet.

I quickly scanned over the message as the raven took off, it would circle until I sent it off or responded with my own message. I read it quickly, my heart leaping in my chest. Princess Lania, they had found her! A rescue mission was being launched immediately, we needed to travel to the Sea of Hakanas. Right now!

Silver was going to be so happy. Finally. She needed this, quick termination of her misery. I was glad that this was going to be resolved so quickly, not that I didn't enjoy traveling with Silver. I didn't enjoy traveling with...others. I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Ruby, she was reading over my shoulder, but I doubted she understood any of it.

The Onyx Order used coded messages to prevent information leaks. "It says they found Princess Lania. We need to go now!" I closed my eyes and asked Zeroth to come. I felt his presence inside my mind and then felt the strong air from his passing.

I allowed myself a small smile beneath my mask. I still remembered the day when I had gotten through to him. It had been sheer luck, but it had shaped the rest of my life. He landed, blowing up dust in his wake, and I jogged towards him. Putting my foot where his foreleg met his chest, before leaping up. Ruby followed, but more hesitantly.

Nervous, she was nervous. I leaned down and held out my hand, she smiled and took it, I pulled her up.

"Woah, he's fluffy."

'That's why I call him Fluffy sometimes' I thought, and he unfurled his wings. Leaves blew, grass swayed, and we lifted off with a powerful leap. Ruby nearly smacked her face on his neck, I held back a laugh. I had been the same way until I learned how to ride him, how to hold myself, and what muscles I needed to stay upright.

It took the span of a few seconds to return back to where the pyre was situated. Very different from the several minutes walk to the Northern Watchtower. I glanced around, looking for the platinum colored hair of the gaylord.

I saw Adora, talking to a group of villagers, and I frowned, looking once more over the gathered people, she wasn't hiding anywhere either. She was terrible at hiding. Ruby slid off Zeroth's back.

"Do you know where Silver is?" I asked her and her face brightened,

"General Song? Oh! She went to survey the manor." I quickly spurred Zeroth to action and he took off quickly, knocking Ruby down, I'd apologize for that later. Maybe.

If I knew one thing about that gay General, it was that she hated relying on other people. And not only was that going to get her killed. It might also be the reason the Princess Lania would remain in enemy hands.

'Don't be dead. Gaylord!'

Author's Note: In my defense of the short chapter, Fera doesn't talk much. Not to me at least, only to Silver. Such a handful to deal with. Anyways, next time we'll figure out what our gay Princess is up to!