Crimson Twilight: Dusk

Chapter 45: Clan Xalascent

"Ho, Silmeia!"

Kreizen waved a hand as he approached his priestess friend. Silmeia smiled and waved back. "How's Zein?" he asked. "I heard that he got himself seriously injured!"

Silmeia nodded and walked with the blacksmith towards the infirmary. She had just finished ensuring that the Second Priest Division was ready for combat. They had a few more hours before the attack commenced. "He's doing better, Reiz." she replied. "He almost died but he's better."

Kreizen's eyes widened in surprise. "Almost died!" he exclaimed. "How did Sei take it?"

Silmeia remembered the heartbroken look on Seihanine when everyone had believed that Trenzein was truly dead. It was so unlike her that Silmeia thought that she had turned into someone else when she gripped Trenzein's body. Her icy, pale blue eyes turned liquid blue with emotion for that moment and they blazed with fire when Raven Huer appeared. Only Kreizen or Trenzein could ever ignite such emotions from her. "She took it pretty badly." Silmeia answered. "She's staying with him right now, I believe."

Kreizen suddenly grinned and rubbed his hands together. He looked like a conspirator whose plans were under way. "Well at least something good is coming out of this!" he said.

Silmeia smiled at Kreizen's hinting. Leave it to Kreizen Xalascent to find a bright side to a near-death experience. She had also noticed the closeness between Trenzein and Seihanine. Whatever they had between them fluctuated often though. It depended on the moods of Trenzein's pride or Seihanine's distance. "You seem awfully supportive of those two, Reiz." she commented.

Kreizen raised an eyebrow. "Why shouldn't I be?" he asked. "I think Zein's a good man. Besides, Sei really likes him. Not only that but they've been going at it ever since we first met him in Glastheim."

It was Silmeia's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You first met Zein in Glastheim?" she asked. "That's a strange place to meet."

Kreizen laughed briefly. "I never told you did I?" he asked. "Sei and I were traveling with some other relatives to Glastheim to-" His voice faltered at the next word. Silmeia was quick to notice this. "-hunt down a fugitive from our clan when we encountered Zein. He was looking for this "last locked door" thing. By himself too."

Silmeia smiled at Kreizen as she opened the door to the infirmary. In a way, she envied him for having so many fond memories with his younger sister. "Your travels must have let you-" her voice trailed off as she looked inside the infirmary. Both Seihanine and Trenzein were gone.

"What the-?" Kreizen spoke from behind her. "I thought you said they were in here, Silmeia?"

Silmeia's eyes narrowed. "They were supposed to be." she answered. "Trenzein shouldn't even be walking yet and Sei-"

Kreizen searched the room quickly. There was no sign of his sister in the room except- "Kalyx!" he called out as soon as he saw Seihanine's constant companion. The falcon screeched and landed on his shoulder. "Sei's in trouble! Kalyx never leaves her side unless she needed help!" He rushed out of the infirmary and followed the falcon with Silmeia right behind him. "How stupid of me!" he cursed. "I should never have thought she would be completely safe here in Prontera!" He ran faster; forcing Silmeia to struggle just to keep up. All sorts of possibilities entered his mind. He and his sister had made plenty of enemies here in Prontera; especially within the Blacksmith Guild's Pronteran Branch. The falcon ahead of him screeched once again and flew ahead. He let out a sigh of relief as he saw his sister walk towards him. She was supporting Trenzein, who was barely standing. They were both wounded, as if they had been in a difficult battle. "Sei! What happened?" he called out to them.

Seihanine smiled weakly as she approached Kreizen.

"Brother…"

Kreizen and Silmeia did not waste time in bringing the two back to the infirmary.

"How are they doing?" Kreizen asked as he watched Silmeia worriedly.

Silmeia allowed herself a smile. "They'll be fine." she answered. "Trenzein's suffered an arrow wound to his chest while Seihanine has several cuts on her arms. Kreizen, how long has Sei had that scar on her face?"

Kreizen frowned. "A scar?" he asked. "I've never noticed. Then again I haven't seen Sei for nearly two days."

Silmeia was silent for a while. "It's not that prominent." she said. "I've seen scars like that before; they come from deep cuts that receive only minor healing spells and then allowed to heal naturally. Whatever made that cut probably made her wounds today."

Kreizen stood in thoughtful silence. "I see." he finally said. "I'll have to talk to Sei about this. Would you mind leaving us alone for a while? It's sort of private."

Silmeia watched Kreizen with a hint of concern. He was never the type to keep secrets unless it involved some very personal matters. A deeply private person herself, she had to respect his boundaries. "Alright then, Reiz." she said. "I'll be waiting with my division for the attack."

Kreizen patted Silmeia on the back and reentered the infirmary where he saw his sister sitting next to Trenzein's bed. "Seihanine." he called her attention. He watched his sister carefully as she rose to talk to him. The look on her face told him that she already knew where this conversation was headed. Trenzein shifted uncomfortably between them as he lay on his bed.

"Reiz." Seihanine answered.

Kreizen kept his voice even. It was obvious to both Trenzein and Seihanine that he was having a hard time keeping it that way though. He was never the type to conceal whatever he felt. "What happened to the both of you, Seihanine?" he asked them.

Seihanine was silent for a long time. She couldn't look at her brother in the eye. "We were attacked." she finally answered.

Kreizen's voice cracked briefly, revealing a steadily growing hint of anger. "I know you were attacked!" he responded. "I can see its marks on you! Who attacked you?"

Seihanine winced at her brother's harsh words. She seemed to physically shrink from Kreizen as he continued. "It was…Maiha." she said weakly.

Kreizen's nostrils flared. Still, he restrained himself. He had to make sure. "Maiha Il-Xalascent is dead, Seihanine." he said.

Seihanine stared at the floor like a beaten child. "She managed to survive Glastheim." she answered. "She came to here to taunt me. I followed and fought her-"

Kreizen pressed on relentlessly."And did you kill her?" he asked.

Seihanine shook her head meekly. "She…escaped."

Kreizen clenched his fists. "How long have you known Maiha was still alive?" he asked.

Seihanine was silent again. It took a great deal of effort on her part to answer. "A few days." she finally managed to reply.

Kreizen's eyebrows furrowed. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "Why did you try to handle her by yourself?"

Seihanine's voice seemed to get weaker with each question. "I couldn't believe it myself at first." she answered. "I wanted to kill her again before things got out of hand. I didn't think-"

Kreizen backhanded Seihanine on the cheek. Though he held back for as much as he could, the force of the blow knocked her to the ground.

"And when were you planning to think?" he roared. "When you were dead by Maiha's hand? The hunting down of an Il-Xalascent is the responsibility of the clan patriarch, Sehanein! You know that!"

Trenzein gasped at the unnecessary violence and struggled to rise. Kreizen was furious now. He could tell from the way the blacksmith suddenly used Seihanine's Payonese name. "Kreizen, this isn't her-!" he protested.

The blacksmith raised his hand without taking his sight off Seihanine. His eyes were hard and stern and his voice was harsh. "Don't interfere, Trenzein." He said. "This is a Xalascent matter. I'm having this conversation with you around because you're already involved with this matter over Maiha."

Trenzein bristled at the remark. "Xalascent matter!" he scoffed. "You're the only two Xalascents alive!"

Kreizen responded with a glare. "Number makes no difference, Trenzein!" he retorted. "Even if our clan was down to one member, clan precepts must be followed."

Trenzein was about to reply when Seihanine stopped him. "Zein, don't." she said. "He's right."

Seihanine wiped the trickle of blood that escaped from her lips as she stood up. She did not look at her brother. Instead, she kept her head bowed meekly. "Forgive me, my brother." she said.

Kreizen's expression softened. "You nearly died during that encounter in Glastheim, Sei." he said. "Just how many times would you have me watch you risk your life against that madwoman before you realize that you can't take her on alone?"

Seihanine traced her finger across her face. Kreizen easily recognized the jagged-edged wound that only Malice would leave. "She's left another mark on you." he said.

Seihanine flinched as more memories came to mind; things she thought she had left in Glastheim when she thought that Maiha was finally dead.

Kreizen turned to leave. "Get your rest, Sei." he told her. "I will handle Maiha from now on." He opened the door and looked back at her one more time. "I swore once that I would never let Maiha scar you like that again, Sei. Don't make me break that promise again."

Seihanine nodded. "I won't." she replied.

Trenzein sat up as soon as Kreizen left. "Why'd you let him hit you like that?" he asked Seihanine.

Seihanine leaned against a wall and relaxed. It was extremely rare that Kreizen would ever get so angry and concerned at the same time. The blow meant nothing if it meant that she had gotten him so worked up. "Because I deserved it, Zein." she said. "Kreizen's right, I should have told him about Maiha before going after her like that."

Trenzein frowned at her reaction. "But that's no reason to hit you!" he insisted.

Seihanine felt her cheek. Despite his obvious holding back, a blow from Kreizen's heavily-muscled arms was strong enough to raise welts and draw blood. "The blow means nothing." she answered. "In fact, it's a way to show how much he really cares. You don't have siblings of any sort, Zein. I don't expect you to understand."

Trenzein crossed his arms. "Oh, I've seen what siblings do to each other!" he retorted.

Seihanine's eyes narrowed. "Don't compare Reiz with Maiha, Zein!" she snapped. "He already has a lot to bear by just being the Xalascent patriarch. Now the responsibility of hunting down and slaying Maiha falls to him as well. I didn't want that to happen which was why I tried to take on Maiha by myself. Besides, Xalascent precepts have to be obeyed. It's what keeps us from being Il-Xalascent."

Trenzein was silent after that one. Seihanine was right, he knew little about family matters. Unlike Seihanine, he didn't have a "Clan Zaisen" to worry about. The last time he saw his parents was that time his mother enrolled him to the Geffen Magic Academy. After that, there was nothing. Another thought suddenly occurred to him. "Kreizen mentioned something about not letting Maiha scar you again." he said. "I don't see any other scar besides the one on your face."

Seihanine's expression hardened. "There's another one." she said. "Remember that incident in Glastheim?"

Trenzein nodded. "Of course." he replied. "That was the first time we really met as I recall. Bloody affair…I thought everything would be over after that."

Seihanine turned around and took her shirt off.

Trenzein's eyes narrowed as he saw a large, jagged scar that ran along the back of her left shoulder and down to the middle of her shoulder blades. The edges of the scar showed marks of being badly burned while the skin around the old wound was still red. "By God, what happened to that?" he asked.

Seihanine put her shirt back on. "Remember when we got separated during the third day?" she asked.

Trenzein nodded again. He recalled that part of the incident. A couple of abysmal knights had attacked their expedition; forcing them all to scatter. It took him a day before he found the two Xalascents.

"When I got separated, Maiha came out of hiding and fought with me." Seihanine continued. She clenched her fists at the mention of her half-sister. "She won. The next thing I knew she had sliced this wound open and was watching me bleed to death. Kreizen found us just in time to fend her off. It would have been too late though. He had no more potions of any kind. There was no priest around and I would have been dead in an hour. The only way to close it was by cauterization."

Trenzein's eyes widened. He could only imagine the agony of cauterizing such a large wound.

Seihanine clutched her arms as she continued. "It was the only way. Silmeia has tried everything to get rid of it or, at least, lessen its damage but there's nothing even the strongest of healing spells could do. It still looks the same as the day it was made." She closed her eyes. She could still remember the entire thing; the grim, regretful expression on Kreizen's face as he held the red hot piece of oridecon ever closer, the terrible, burning pain she felt when her brother touched the searing piece to her shoulder, the awful stench of burnt flesh and the bitter realization that she would carry that ugly scar for the rest of her life. It was Maiha Il-Xalascent's greatest triumph over her. "Maiha!" she spoke the name with quiet rage. "It always falls to Maiha. Everything that's ever happened always falls to her! Everything! I'll do anything to kill her!"

Trenzein's eyes narrowed at the last remark. Seihanine's words dripped more venom and hate than Maiha's daggers. "Would you take her place for that?" he asked.

Both of them became silent for the rest of the morning.

World Notes

Clan Patriarch - A Payonese clan is led by the Clan Patriarch; often the eldest son of the previous patriarch. If the eldest cannot assume the position, it is given to the nearest male relative. The Clan Patriarch rules his clan absolutely; making all major decisions, upholding clan precepts and representing his clan in all things. He is advised by a council made up of the eldest male members of the clan.