At last, Isabel could mourn.
The reunion with her colony felt swift, yet everlasting. So many familiar faces came to greet her, thank her, and offer their deepest sympathy. All the while, Isabel was numb to everything that was going on around her. The only thing on her mind now that peace had briefly taken hold were thoughts of Jess. Her arms still trembled as she remembered how she died in her arms. It still felt surreal to look around the colony and not see her. She'd always be the first to come and greet Isabel whenever she returned from exploring the tunnels back home. There was a voice in the back of Isabel's mind that tried to trick her into thinking this was all a nightmare. At any moment, Jess would emerge from the crowd and gift her a warm smile.
It didn't happen. It was never going to happen.
She jumped when she felt someone's hand interlocking with hers. Her body relaxed as she quickly recognized her mother's touch. However, despite the strength that Helen would usually bring, Isabel couldn't lift her head to look the older woman in the eyes. ''I failed.'' She murmured so that no one other than her mother could hear.
Helen squeezed her daughter's hand. ''No, don't say that. How can you say that? You defeated a dragon! You saved us from Thane…''
''But at what cost?'' Isabel choked. ''She was right in front of me. I wasn't strong enough, so she tried to help and…and…''
Before the tears had a chance to flow, Helen grabbed Isabel and pulled her into a comforting hug. Isabel sobbed into her mother's shoulder. She didn't care if others were looking. She needed to vent.
Thankfully, many in the colony were too busy settling in to worry about what she was doing. Nakotah's people were welcoming. They offered their homes, their food and their medicine. But, it was apparent that the supplies would not last with so many people. No one wanted to say it out loud. All anyone cared about was resting. The past few days had been an agonizing marathon of despair, loss and pain. Some were more affected than others. Yet, there was always someone close by to lend a helping hand. Isabel wanted to be happy about this; to see so many people working together to ensure that everyone was safe. But, the pain in her heart was too great. There was nothing she could do other than cry and hold Helen tightly because she was afraid that if she let go, she would lose her too.
''Come with me,'' Helen whispered into Isabel's ear. ''I need to show you something.''
Isabel nodded tiredly and followed her mother as she led her down one of the many tunnels. Helen had grabbed one of the torches nearby and lit it with a fire that was being used to cook the insects that had been gathered for food. The flames danced hypnotically in Isabel's eyes. As the two of them descended into darkness, Isabel felt drawn to the warmth of the fiery glow. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach kept her from focusing on where Helen was taking her. She glanced down at her hands. Thane's blood was still there. She didn't have the chance to clean herself. She had seen so much death in such a short amount of time. Friends. Foes. Family.
Jess.
She didn't want to cry again. She began to question if she had any more tears to spare. How could her mother be so calm? How is it that despite still being human Helen was able to remain steady? Isabel knew that her mother was tormented on the inside. But, she wasn't showing any sign of weakness. Isabel wished for that kind of strength.
For a brief moment, she wondered what would have happened if her mother had acquired these abilities. She was intelligent and not as nearly headstrong as Isabel was. She could have done better. But, Isabel wouldn't want to place that burden on her mother's shoulders; especially with the uncertainty of how far the rage can push her. There was also the possibility of dying if the king were to fall. Isabel couldn't bear to think about that. No more death. She didn't want to become swallowed in that kind of sorrow.
''Here.''
Helen's voice tore Isabel out of her subconsciousness. She didn't know how long they had been walking. But, they were a fair enough distance away from the rest of the colony. Isabel was almost certain that they had passed the area where Thane had made his last stand. The smell was familiar. The taste of blood still lingered in the air. Isabel's eyes wandered until she found what Helen wanted her to see.
The tears returned.
There was a small hill of dirt on the ground with rocks encircling the bump. Instantly, Isabel knew what it was. She sunk to her knees and placed her hand on the dirt. ''Jess?''
Helen joined her on the ground, placing a comforting hand on her back. ''When we escaped the blast, we bunkered here until we thought it would be safe to move again. I wanted to wait for you. I still held onto hope that you escaped the blast. While we waited, I wanted to give her a proper burial. Jon helped. Many in the colony did. Then, Thane appeared and used one of our radios to contact you.''
Listening to her speak, Isabel could hear the tremor in her voice. Even if she did have superior hearing, she could tell that her mother was trying to hold herself together. It wasn't just Isabel who had lost someone dear. Helen and Jess had become close too. The three of them were going to live a happy and fulfilling life together. That's how it was supposed to go. They wanted it more than anything.
''The weapon worked,'' Isabel said. ''Even a Dragon couldn't survive that blast. I can't believe something like that existed in the old world.''
Helen nodded. ''The old world had alarming qualities. I've tried to teach you everything I know. But, some things were too grim to be spoken.''
''It won't be like that. After we kill the King, the world is going to be better. You saw how everyone was looking out for each other. We've all sacrificed so much for each other so that others can fight for the chance to have a better tomorrow. Jess. Cruise. Adira.''
Before the silence could stretch for too long, Isabel felt Helen's hand on her cheek, forcing her to turn in her direction. She melted when she saw how watery her mother's eyes were. It was clear that Helen's strength was dwindling. ''We need to talk about that.''
''About what?''
''Is what Thane said true? If the kill is killed…you will die too?''
Isabel's throat hitched. ''I don't know. He might have just been scared or trying to mess with my head. There's no way of knowing until it happens…''
''Do you want to take that chance?'' Helen gasped. ''You can't be so casual about this! We need to think of every possibility and every strategy!''
Isabel slowly shook her head. ''We have, mother. We've travelled so far. Chased myths. Escaped death more times than we can count. Monsters. Drakes. Even a Dragon. We've done everything. I think that deep down we knew that this was always going to be the last option. We have now reached that last option.''
''There has to be another way!'' Helen argued as she rose to her feet and paced around. ''We can find other bunkers and fallout shelters. The old world would have codes for multiple launch sites. We know that they can't survive nuclear weapons, so we use everything at our disposal and force the Dragons off our world.''
Isabel shot up and grabbed her mother to stop her. ''You know that we can't do that. They're not going to surrender. That's not in their nature. And, even if hitting them with more weapons was a possibility, I've seen what kind of damage is left behind. If we used that kind of hellfire to stop all of the dragons, then there will be nothing left of the new world. Plus, I don't think it will kill the king. Only another Dragon can do it. It has to be me!''
The conflict in Helen's eyes was obvious. She wanted to find any kind of counterargument. ''I can't lose you too.''
Isabel closed her eyes, unable to look at her mother as she broke down, and pressed her forehead against hers. The action soothed Helen slightly. She clung to Isabel's arms.
''It can't end this way,'' Helen whispered.
''If it's the only way to stop the Dragons…I'm okay with it. I'm going to save all of us. I'm going to be the hero of your story.''
Helen let out what sounded like a mixture between a snort and a whimper. ''Don't do this to me. I promised I would let nothing happen to you…''
''And you kept your promise. Whatever happens next will be my decision to make.''
They pulled away so that they could stare into each other's eyes. The world around them seemed to still and dissolve as they came together for a tender kiss. Their love for one another kept them going. Their hearts beat in unison. They gave each other the strength they needed to get through this. The number of days they had left might be numbered. There was no way of knowing if what Isabel believed was true. Any hope of Gabriel and Thane being wrong stayed with her. Dwelling on these questions was not doing either of them any favors.
Isabel wouldn't know her fate until she killed the king…if she could.
No…she will. She had to.
There were now too many counting on her. She refused to consider the idea of failing. She had to push through the pain and stand strong for everyone who stood by her side and helped her to reach where she was today.
''If I can tap into the full potential of my powers, I think I can win,'' Isabel said.
Helen was quiet. Her lips twitched. She wanted to say something. However, whatever came to her mind first was cast aside as she forced a smile and nodded. ''I know you can.''
''I love you.''
''I love you too.''
They kissed once more. Their embrace didn't last too long. They knew they had to return to the rest of the colony before they were missed. Isabel held onto the dream that after she defeats the king, she can have all the time she wanted with her mom. She would give everything to ensure they lived a long and happy life together. For them. For the memory of Jess.
Isabel wasn't going to lose.
She wasn't going to die.
Her fire would continue.
XXX
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