Chap 3
Now in her comfy nightwear, Kaelii was just about the slip into bed. The loud crackling fire outside was the only thing keeping her up. Until she heard the murmuring voices outside. She pulled back the drape of the entrance to see Koran and Madge sitting cross-legged beside the fire.
"I dunno..." Koran broke the awkward silence. "I'm just a bit nervous about tomorrow. What if I fail? She's the daughter of... y'know..."
Kaelii frowned, unsure what he was talking about.
"You'll both be fine. I trust you. Just because she's the daughter of... 'Y'know', doesn't mean she won't be able to survive on her own. You're both very strong. Physically, magically and mentally." Madge poked the fire a bit, the flames reflecting in her eyes.
'The daughter of y'know?' What did they mean? Kaelii slipped into bed and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts of her parents rushed by her head, never- ending. Kaelii quickly shut her eyes as she heard the drape being pushed aside. Pretending to be asleep, she could hear the footsteps of Koran coming towards her. He decided to soundlessly bring a chair bedside her bed and sit there, studying her face. Sighing to himself, he cupped Kaelii's cheek ever so gently, feeling the softer skin beside the corner of her mouth. He hadn't known Kaelii was awake, so he gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Sleep well, my Summoner Kaelii. You have a lot to learn tomorrow." With that, he bowed and slinked to bed.
That night, Kaelii hadn't slept well at all. Her mind whirled around the thoughts of her parents. The necklace, what Koran and Madge said. She had to find out what it all meant. In her dream, she saw Koran slaying a mighty unknown beast, then he fell back and exploded into at least a thousand pyreflies.
She woke up sweating and panting heavily. It was dawn. The small rays of light escaped the horizon and shone through the leaves of the trees. Nobody else was up yet, so she went outside to stretch. To her horror, the entire village of the Moonflow was destroyed. She could feel herself get paler by the second as she noticed that the hut they stayed in was the only one untouched. But /why/? Why was hers the only one left standing? Tears welled in her eyes, remembering the precious memories she had of when she was younger. Dancing around the huts cheerfully, greeting people as they returned her smile and went passed.
All gone.
Koran too stepped out and looked horrified. Everything was on the ground torn apart, even the villagers. Even the ones that managed to escape were hunted down and were given a bloody death.
The two of them were speechless. What could have caused such major destruction with no sound? Koran watched helplessly as Kaelii fell to her knees, her face in her hands and streaming cool clear tears down her fingers. He decided the only way he could help was to kneel down beside her and wrap his arms around her, trying to calm her. Kaelii didn't return the favour as he expected. He was close to tears but had a strong reputation, and lament would only make him appear to be weak. So he swallowed and stood up, glancing down at Kaelii. He lent out a hand to her, hoping she'd take it and feel better. Instead she took her hands away from her face and stared out in front of her, thinking.
Unexpectedly, she slapped his hand away and stood up infuriated, wishing for cold-blooded revenge. Storming inside, she snatched her staff and looked over at Madge, who was still lying there asleep, with no idea what had happened. She felt deep sorrow for Madge as she went back outside, glared at Koran who had a bewildered expression on his face and walked straight passed him heading towards Macalania.
"Wait! Kaelii! Where are you going?" Koran shouted, grabbing his crossbow from inside and dashing after her. Of course anyone would know where a Summoner would go looking this wound up. To Zanakand, the place where Badengo slept in his cavern. Koran wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't lose Kaelii, but he had to tell Madge what had happened.
"Let me tell Madge what happened. I'll be only a few moments! Please!" He attempted to reason with her while jogging beside her. Kaelii halted, waiting only a few moments for Koran to go back and leave a note for Madge until she started hurrying off again. Koran caught up to her and sighed as he could clearly see without words the bitter rage that grew inside her. Anyone would know that all she wanted at the moment was revenge. Bitter, cold, revenge.
It was about twenty minutes away from the remains of the Moonflow. Deciding in her mind that her energy will run down, and that it'll do no good, Kaelii started to slow down from the thundering steps she was taking before. The journey would be long, therefore giving her a lot of time to clear her thoughts and to calm herself. Every now and then Kaelii glanced behind her to check Koran was alright. He was boredly swinging his arms by his sides and looking around at all the scenery.
It was close to autumn. Most leaves were a golden-brown colour, some were tawny and even the few yellow and auburn ones. Every now and then, a leaf drifted towards the earth and Koran made a leap to catch it. He had a small collection of them now, so he threw them high above Kaelii's head. They floated in the air for a while infront of her, then made their way to the ground and rested there. Kaelii appreciated the effort to cheer her up, so turned to give Koran a weak smile, who returned it with a heartwarming one. To Koran, a smile of any kind from Kaelii was like a thousand words, even though she barely spoke.
After this entire time, none of them knew what lurked behind.
Now in her comfy nightwear, Kaelii was just about the slip into bed. The loud crackling fire outside was the only thing keeping her up. Until she heard the murmuring voices outside. She pulled back the drape of the entrance to see Koran and Madge sitting cross-legged beside the fire.
"I dunno..." Koran broke the awkward silence. "I'm just a bit nervous about tomorrow. What if I fail? She's the daughter of... y'know..."
Kaelii frowned, unsure what he was talking about.
"You'll both be fine. I trust you. Just because she's the daughter of... 'Y'know', doesn't mean she won't be able to survive on her own. You're both very strong. Physically, magically and mentally." Madge poked the fire a bit, the flames reflecting in her eyes.
'The daughter of y'know?' What did they mean? Kaelii slipped into bed and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts of her parents rushed by her head, never- ending. Kaelii quickly shut her eyes as she heard the drape being pushed aside. Pretending to be asleep, she could hear the footsteps of Koran coming towards her. He decided to soundlessly bring a chair bedside her bed and sit there, studying her face. Sighing to himself, he cupped Kaelii's cheek ever so gently, feeling the softer skin beside the corner of her mouth. He hadn't known Kaelii was awake, so he gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Sleep well, my Summoner Kaelii. You have a lot to learn tomorrow." With that, he bowed and slinked to bed.
That night, Kaelii hadn't slept well at all. Her mind whirled around the thoughts of her parents. The necklace, what Koran and Madge said. She had to find out what it all meant. In her dream, she saw Koran slaying a mighty unknown beast, then he fell back and exploded into at least a thousand pyreflies.
She woke up sweating and panting heavily. It was dawn. The small rays of light escaped the horizon and shone through the leaves of the trees. Nobody else was up yet, so she went outside to stretch. To her horror, the entire village of the Moonflow was destroyed. She could feel herself get paler by the second as she noticed that the hut they stayed in was the only one untouched. But /why/? Why was hers the only one left standing? Tears welled in her eyes, remembering the precious memories she had of when she was younger. Dancing around the huts cheerfully, greeting people as they returned her smile and went passed.
All gone.
Koran too stepped out and looked horrified. Everything was on the ground torn apart, even the villagers. Even the ones that managed to escape were hunted down and were given a bloody death.
The two of them were speechless. What could have caused such major destruction with no sound? Koran watched helplessly as Kaelii fell to her knees, her face in her hands and streaming cool clear tears down her fingers. He decided the only way he could help was to kneel down beside her and wrap his arms around her, trying to calm her. Kaelii didn't return the favour as he expected. He was close to tears but had a strong reputation, and lament would only make him appear to be weak. So he swallowed and stood up, glancing down at Kaelii. He lent out a hand to her, hoping she'd take it and feel better. Instead she took her hands away from her face and stared out in front of her, thinking.
Unexpectedly, she slapped his hand away and stood up infuriated, wishing for cold-blooded revenge. Storming inside, she snatched her staff and looked over at Madge, who was still lying there asleep, with no idea what had happened. She felt deep sorrow for Madge as she went back outside, glared at Koran who had a bewildered expression on his face and walked straight passed him heading towards Macalania.
"Wait! Kaelii! Where are you going?" Koran shouted, grabbing his crossbow from inside and dashing after her. Of course anyone would know where a Summoner would go looking this wound up. To Zanakand, the place where Badengo slept in his cavern. Koran wasn't sure what to do. He couldn't lose Kaelii, but he had to tell Madge what had happened.
"Let me tell Madge what happened. I'll be only a few moments! Please!" He attempted to reason with her while jogging beside her. Kaelii halted, waiting only a few moments for Koran to go back and leave a note for Madge until she started hurrying off again. Koran caught up to her and sighed as he could clearly see without words the bitter rage that grew inside her. Anyone would know that all she wanted at the moment was revenge. Bitter, cold, revenge.
It was about twenty minutes away from the remains of the Moonflow. Deciding in her mind that her energy will run down, and that it'll do no good, Kaelii started to slow down from the thundering steps she was taking before. The journey would be long, therefore giving her a lot of time to clear her thoughts and to calm herself. Every now and then Kaelii glanced behind her to check Koran was alright. He was boredly swinging his arms by his sides and looking around at all the scenery.
It was close to autumn. Most leaves were a golden-brown colour, some were tawny and even the few yellow and auburn ones. Every now and then, a leaf drifted towards the earth and Koran made a leap to catch it. He had a small collection of them now, so he threw them high above Kaelii's head. They floated in the air for a while infront of her, then made their way to the ground and rested there. Kaelii appreciated the effort to cheer her up, so turned to give Koran a weak smile, who returned it with a heartwarming one. To Koran, a smile of any kind from Kaelii was like a thousand words, even though she barely spoke.
After this entire time, none of them knew what lurked behind.