Chapter 16: Uneasy Reunions

Evine

Gabriel.

Gabriel

…

Evine

Wake up, Gabriel.

Evine

There is still work to be done.

Gabriel

...Evine?

Evine

Yes, Gabriel. It’s me.

Gabriel

The Slifers have captured me... I’m locked up in one of their dungeons...

Evine

They underestimate your strength. Free yourself from their flimsy constraints and return to me at once.

Gabriel

I feel…I feel weak, Evine...

Gabriel

I need...something…

Evine

You need to escape the Slifers, Gabriel.

Evine

They will return for you soon. Time is of the essence.

Gabriel

But…Lydia…

Evine

Do not concern yourself with the Slifer girl, Gabriel.

Evine

She means nothing to you.

Evine

Return to me.

Gabriel

…

***

LYDIA

Lydia slowly made her way down the dungeon corridor toward the room in which Gabriel was being held. As a hard knot began to form in her gut, the Slifer thought back to her father’s teachings…

***

^FOUR MONTHS AGO^

~“Gods damn it!”~

~Lydia swore at her own carelessness. She quickly helped Aramis as he fetched a weighted blanket to smother the flames that were currently spreading up the leg of a mahogany table in the study.~

~Once the spreading fire was safely extinguished, the dwarf drew a handkerchief and mopped the sweat from his wrinkled brow. “Aye,” he said after pausing to catch his breath. “Maybe this would be a good time to take a five-minute break.”~

~Lydia slumped dejectedly into one of the few wooden chairs in the study that remained unscorched. “I thought I really had it that time,” she said, looking down at her hands.~

~She had been training with Aramis Lester for some time now, although it still felt as though no progress had been made so far. “I don’t understand what I keep doing wrong.”~

~Aramis gave her a sympathetic look. “There’s nothing wrong with your technique,” he offered. “Nothing wrong with your posture. Perhaps the problem with your control is more mental than physical.”~

~The dwarf ran a hand down his tangled beard thoughtfully. “I think I know just the solution.”~

~“Please don’t say it’s more of that awful tea,” Lydia replied mournfully.~

~“Even better,” Aramis replied, fetching a step stool that had only been slightly blackened so far by Lydia’s training. “It’s a story.”~

~Lydia watched as the dwarf hefted himself up on top of the stool, propping up his otherwise short stature and allowing his eye line to be equal to hers.~

~He made a great show of loudly clearing his throat, and then puffed out his chest dramatically, like an orator about to recite a speech to a packed auditorium.~

~The posturing was probably meant to make him look more dignified, but Lydia couldn’t help but let out a giggle at the sight of her teacher looking so serious.~

~Aramis held out a hand, signaling her to be quiet.~

~“Long ago,” he said, in a deep and dramatic voice, “when the world was newly forged, all of creation was neatly divided into three realms: the realm of mortals, the realm of shadow, and the realm of the Gods.”~

~Lydia opened her mouth to ask a question, but Aramis wagged a finger at her to keep quiet. He continued, “and in the realm of the Gods, there was no one stronger than the mighty Decimus.”~

~“The fire God was peerless in terms of raw power: his skin was as thick and strong as igneous rock, and red-hot magma coursed through his veins.~

~“But while Decimus was a powerful God, he was also a young God back then, and still had a ways to go before he was ready to understand his place in this new world.”~

~The dwarf paused for dramatic effect.~

~“In his quest for self-discovery, Decimus began a pilgrimage to the mortal realm. There, he encountered the first men and women, and saw for the first time how they truly lived.~

~“While the Gods enjoyed the luxury of their own personal paradise, the mortals were naked and cold, hungry and afraid.~

~“As Decimus looked down upon their shivering, emaciated shapes, a pang of empathy pierced his burning heart like an ice-cold dagger.~

~“As an act of pity, the God bequeathed the mortals a piece of his own essence: a fire, with which they could warm themselves, cook their food, and chase off the beasts of night and shadow.~

~“And it was then that Decimus realized what his role would be. He appointed himself as a protector and guide for the mortal realm.”~

~Lydia rolled her eyes. “A touching story,” she said. “But what does any of this have to do with me?”~

~Aramis hopped down from his place atop the stool. “Because,” he said, taking her hand. “Up until now, you’ve only used your fire to destroy indiscriminately. You wield it as a weapon, because to you, that’s all it is. But fire can be so much more than that.”~

~The dwarf led Lydia by the hand into his kitchen. A tea kettle was resting on top of a crude brick stove.~

~“A fire can light a candle on a dark night,” Aramis continued, “or warm a weary traveler seeking refuge during a blizzard, or heat the water to brew a fresh cup of tea.”~

~Aramis lifted Lydia’s hands and placed them so that both of her palms were pressed against the kettle. Steam began to rise from the spout as the heat from Lydia’s hands quickly brought the water to a boil.~

~“You see?” Aramis asked, taking a step back. “Fire is a powerful tool. It can be used to attack those who wish to harm you; but just as easily, it can be used to protect that which you care about.”~

***

^PRESENT^

Fearsome sounds from Gabriel’s cell jostled Lydia back to the present.

In the dungeon, Gabriel thrashed and howled like a caged animal as Lydia quickly pulled her hand away from his forehead. Hissing steam rose from the green gemstone embedded there, but despite Lydia’s best efforts, it still showed no signs of cracking.

On either side of Gabriel, Redmond and Elise struggled to restrain the king, each of them firmly grasping one of his chained arms to prevent him from lashing out.

“Any luck?” Redmond asked over the sounds of Gabriel’s wailing.

Lydia looked downcast. “Nothing yet,” she said. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“Maybe you could turn up the heat,” Elise suggested, grunting as Gabriel struggled to break free from her grip.

“If I do that, then I risk hurting Gabriel,” Lydia replied. “We were lucky the last time we freed someone from Evine’s control by accident. This time we have to be careful. Precise. Surgical.”

All things I’ve never been able to do, Lydia thought, but kept that addition to herself.

“Maybe we could try switching places,” Redmond suggested. “I could try what I did for Adria—”

Redmond was interrupted as a shadowy tendril wrapped itself around his arm, prying him off of Gabriel and flinging him into the stone dungeon wall with a meaty ~thud~.

Lydia watched in horror as the tendril sliced through the handcuffs binding Gabriel’s wrist as though it were made of paper. With his newly freed arm, Gabriel reached over and wrenched Elise off of him as well.

“He’s breaking free!” Redmond shouted, struggling to get back to his feet. “The handcuffs must not have been strong enough!”

Gabriel shoved Elise to the ground, and a blade of shadowy material sliced through the other manacle that had bound him to the wall.

The king was doubled over like a wounded beast, one hand massaging his wrist while staring up at Lydia with coal-black eyes and a ferocious snarl.

Lydia watched as Gabriel took a lurching step toward her, only to be blown back as a gust of strong wind hit him, keeping him firmly pressed against the wall.

“We have to restrain him again!” Elise shouted, having already risen to her feet. She held out both hands, and another gust of wind threw Gabriel back against the wall. “Quickly, before he has the chance to teleport away!”

Rising unsteadily, Redmond lifted a hand to use his magic as well. In the cracks of the stone dungeon wall, thick, fibrous roots began to emerge, wrapping themselves around the king’s wrists and ankles.

But the effort was too little, too late; more tendrils of shadow sprang from the floor and cut through the roots with ease.

Fighting against the wind, Gabriel waved his arm, and a tentacle of shadow wrapped around Elise’s waist and pulled her down, slamming her body into the floor.

The wind ceased, and Gabriel lunged forward, knocking Lydia to the side as he smashed one of his broad shoulders into the iron door of the dungeon chamber, forcing it open.

Lydia quickly sprang to her feet and chased after Gabriel as he ran out into the cell block outside. The Slifer held out her hand, and a wall of flame sprang up in front of Gabriel, blocking his only exit from the corridor.

“Gabriel, please,” Lydia called out from the other side of the hallway. Her voice was shaky, and her bright red-orange eyes were beginning to well up with tears.

She wanted to be strong for Gabriel’s sake. But being forced to battle against the person she loved was taking a considerable emotional toll.

“Please. Just stop. I only want to help you.”

At the sound of her voice, Gabriel turned to glance at Lydia. His face was expressionless, the light cast from the wall of flame causing shadows to dance and flicker wildly across his features.

The enthralled king held up a hand, and Lydia watched as the shadows around them began to coalesce into a swirling portal along the wall to Gabriel’s right.

~He’s going to teleport,~ Lydia realized. Her heart sank as she realized what this would mean: if Gabriel disappeared, Evine would likely prevent him from ever seeing her again.

Lydia’s fear turned to determination as she grit her teeth and mentally prepared herself for her next move.

~It was now or never.~

Lydia extended her arm, her index finger pointed at the stone lodged in Gabriel’s forehead. As she gathered her strength, the familiar voice of Aramis—no, ~Decimus~—echoed from inside her head:

~“Fire is a powerful tool. It can be used to attack those who wish to harm you; but just as easily, it can be used to protect that which you care about.”~

A small bolt of flame shot forward from Lydia’s fingertip, striking Gabriel directly in the forehead. The king staggered back, and the shadowy portal immediately dispersed.

“Gabriel!” Lydia shouted. The Slifer rushed forward just as the king was about to collapse, catching him in her arms. The two of them both sank to their knees on the dungeon floor as Lydia wrapped her arms around Gabriel tightly.

“Lydia…” Gabriel said weakly, lifting his head to meet her gaze. His eyes were back to normal, and as Lydia’s glance shifted upward, she could see the stone was gone as well; only a small patch of charred skin remained where the gemstone had been.

“Lydia…” Gabriel repeated, and then buried his face into the Slifer’s shoulder. The king’s fingers clasped around the back of her shirt, bunching up the fabric.

“Gods above,” Lydia heard him say faintly. “What have I done?”