Dreiki was stunned, cradling Sancta in his arms. Why had Luna left her cloak behind? Why was Sancta here? Where was Luna?
He pressed his fingers to Sancta’s neck. As he expected, she was still alive. It would not make sense for Luna to leave her cloak behind on someone who was dead. It was likely she left the cloak behind to protect Sancta while she lured an Oskuutor away. He hefted Sancta over his shoulders and handed Luna’s cloak to Ezo, “Track her by her scent, and pick her up. I’ll blow my whistle when I get to Tadios, so you know where to find me,” Dreiki said, tying Luna’s cloak over his neck, “Now go.”
Ezo took off as fast as he could. Dreiki prayed for its safety, but he hardly knew what or who he was praying to.
Compared to tree logs, Sancta was like a hat. Still, within this waist deep snow it was difficult to move. Of all the people Luna had to risk her life and be a hero for, why her? Why Sancta?
“It’s my fault… Don’t go…” Sancta murmured.
“What?”
No response. She must have been dreaming. Was it about Luna? It did not feel that way. Dreiki hardly knew what to think of Sancta anymore. She was the most insufferable girl he had ever had the displeasure of meeting, but there were glimmers of something more. Still, the fact that she made her problems into everyone else’s was annoying. At the same time, however, Dreiki could hardly blame her. Sometimes he wondered who he would be if he did not have his mother to teach and care for him. Even if her past and her upbringing was no excuse for her actions, it still provided an explanation. She was not someone who couldn’t change. She was someone who had known nothing else. It was the same way with her siblings. It was not that Dreiki hated them, but he still could not forgive them.
What had Savekio intended to teach by sending him here in the first place? His master knew the nobility would be here. He knew Deka would be here. No matter how many times Dreiki meditated on it, he never found the answer. This test was too open ended. He had no idea if he was close to passing or not.
On top of that, the elder of the Tibur clan was apparently in on his curriculum. The Gray Order? What did any of that mean? What had Dreiki been sent here to do? What was the purpose of this suffering?
Dreiki grit his teeth and trudged forward. If the answer was not clear, then he would make his own. He was here to slay the Malaki and save everyone from this cruel rite of passage. Plain and simple.
He was not going to get anywhere fast if he did not give it his all. The snow was too much of an impediment.
Recuso
Dreiki activated his magic, running through the snow as if it wasn’t in his way. He sprinted faster than he ever had before. Perhaps he would have beaten Luna in a foot race now. There was some comfort knowing Luna was faster than he was. If she was luring a Malaki away, she would need that speed.
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
As Dreiki arrived at the ring of fire, he sent a flare up and blew his whistle. The flames spread open to welcome him inside, “I’ve brought back a healer, but she’s not conscious.”
“Where did your drake go?” Tadios asked.
“He’s tracking down a friend of mine. She also happens to be a healer. Let’s hope Ezo can find her and bring her back here.”
“Set her down for now,” Arik said, “It’s been too quiet here.”
Dreiki set Sancta down, “I thought about that on my way to find someone. The Malaki don’t seem to be after us. I think they’re trying to find Kaara.”
“If that’s the case, then we’ve got to find her first, and regroup,” Tadios said.
Dreiki nodded, “If either of you have something with her scent on it, I might be able to use Ezo to track her scent once he gets back.”
Tadios shook his head, looking at Arik, who shrugged, “I’ve got nothing.” She said, “But we’re Tibur. There’s more than one way to track someone. I know we can find her.”
“For now, though, this one’s gotta stop nappin’” Tadios said, grabbing Santa by her shoulders and shaking her, “Wake up! You can sleep when you’re dead.” He slapped her.
“Tadios, that’s not going to work!” Arik said, “You gotta punch her!”
Dreiki raised his hand to stop them, but against all odds Tadios’s attempt worked, “Don’t you dare!” Sancta screeched, scrambling out of Tadios’s grasp.
“Welcome to the land of the conscious, princess. We’re going to need some healing.” Arik said.
Sancta blinked, glancing around, a look of realization washing over her face as she remembered what was happening, “Fine. We’ve all got to pitch in, after all. Whom do I owe my life to?” she said, hovering her hands over the wounded Tibur.
“That would be Argo.” Tadios grinned.
“What? I-” Sancta sighed, turning to Dreiki, “That’s fine, you have my gratitude, noxa.”
“Lillith is the one who saved you. All I did was find you beneath her cloak. Do you remember what happened before you fell unconscious?”
Sancta shook her head, “If you’re asking me whether or not I remember the nephilim girl, I don’t. The last thing I remember is getting blown away from the rest of the group like a leaf in the wind. I must’ve hit my head. If you’re saying you found me under her cloak, then I suppose she saw the state I was in, and decided to rescue me. Where is she now?”
Dreiki looked away, “I’m not sure.”
“I see. Well, for what it’s worth, if we find her even an inch from death I will do everything in my power to ensure her survival.”
“Thank you.”
“Real touching and all, but we’ve got more to worry about,” Arik said, “The malaki are likely after Kaara. Don’t ask me why I know, I just do. We can’t afford to waste anymore time sitting in place. We’ve gotta move.”
Tadios stood up, “Sounds like a plan to me.” He looked to the rest of the Tibur, “Y’all should find a place to hide. It’ll be safer there. Arik, Argo, Sancta, and I will move to find Kaara and rescue her. It’ll be easier to move as a small group, so I don’t want none of you tellin’ me you’ll come with anyway, y’hear?”
The Tibur looked amongst themselves, nodding in affirmation of Tadios’s words.
“Good. Be safe, all of you.”
Dreiki nodded, “Let’s move.”