Chapter 16

Promise

In the darkness of a cave, a girl waits in line of children, carrying a bucket of water. Her eyes bright. Her hair as golden as the sun. In front of the line there is a group of guards by a table. A large stack of food set next to a parchment. A lean guard scribbles some notes and hands the next child some food.

"May I have some food, two please," asked Mylene, having arrived in the front of the line.

The guard looked at her oddly.

"You still feeding that fellow? Why not let him ago?"

"What I do is none of your business," said Mylene, shaking her head. "Two please!"

"Very well," muttered the guard. He handed two pork buns and waved her off. Mylene skipped along the tunnel. She makes several turns in the deep corridor. She opened a wooden door in the tunnel to her right. The room lit dimly by a single torch.

"Grey? Grey are you there?"

In the darkness, there is a boy hunched against the wall. His eyes glazed over. His body horribly scarred.

"Mylene?" croaked Grey. "You are back early."

"Hmph. Of course. That so-so guard is such a nosy fellow. Telling me this and that. Here I have lunch. Open your mouth."

Grey slowly opened his mouth. His lips crusted. Mylene took a pork bun and tore a piece. She placed it in his mouth, and massaged his throat. She took a small cup from her bucket and lifted it to his mouth.

"Drink slowly."

The bun tasted stale but Grey ate it in one breathe. He coughed as a piece got stuck in his throat. Mylene gently pulled him upright and patted his back.

"Thanks..."

"It is nothing."

Mylene looked at Grey. Her hands running down his scrawny arms. So many scars. These last two years had been unkind to him.

"You need to take better care of yourself," scolded Mylene. "If I am gone how will you survive. If you are so clever be more obstinate! Who cares if someone is about to hit me."

"Haha," laughed Grey, "It is just you are too pretty. To hit such a precious treasure. Isn't that a crime?"

"Aye! There you go praising me again. Your flattery has gotten better," smiled Mylene, pointing her nose up.

Grey laughed. Mylene fed him some more and ate her bun. She gathered some dirt and ate it too, feeding some to Grey. She had been so reluctant to eat it a year ago, but now it was naturally as breathing the air. She wiped Grey's face clean.

"Ah, so shall we cultivate again? I have break for a few more hours."

Mylene raised her hands. She took Grey's hands and held them with her own. Connected. She closed her eyes and moved their hands in unison in a circular motion. Grey opened his mouth and recited.

"From breathe there is life. From life there is motion. From motion is direction. Magic is motion. Magic is imitation. Magic is imagination. Feel the motion of the arms as they move in a circle. The way the air passes from one place to another. When I was training I had nothing but nature to around me. In this place, nature too exists. The dirt, rocks, and earth. The darkness the lights this room. The heat from the torch. Imagine these things in your mind. In your body. As you do so breathe in and take in the world."

Mylene takes a deep breath.

"Now exhale, allowing the world return to its original place."

The space around the two children distorted for a moment. The dirt around them scattering like leaves in the wind.

"Ah!" smiled Mylene. "I finally did it! I can use my aura!"

Grey chuckled. In truth, it took Mylene  a year and half to grasp the concept of magic. For her to try so long and not succeed. He did not think that was possible.

"Then now you can be a great and powerful mage."

"Of course! If you don't hurry up with your cultivation. I might even beat you!" laughed Mylene.

Grey smiled, but inwardly he heaved a deep sigh. He dare not tell Mylene the truth. Magic required one vital component. Sight. To be able to visualize and create. Grey's eyes had long ago faded and gone dark. Even if he underwent the Ritual of Awakening. He could no longer do magic. A cripple both in a mind and body. He finally understood why magically training involved both. Without one the other becomes an empty shell, screaming behind a locked cage.

A boy with a bandana opened the wooden door.

"Dieter?" said Mylene.

"Hi Grey. Hi Mylene."

Two years ago, Grey had saved him from such a vicious punishment. Though the years have been long. He held this moment close to his heart and had become close friends with Mylene and Grey.

"Hi Dieter," coughed Grey.

"Don't overexert yourself Grey," said Dieter. His voice full of concern. To see his savior in such a state. It pained his heart greatly. "The overseer wants to see you Mylene. I'll try to bring the next bucket of water on my shift. I have to work in a moment so I'll see you guys later."

Dieter nodded and left. When he was gone, Mylene turned to face Grey.

"Could it be?" Mylene looked at Grey with fear. She was always self-conscious that she was growing up. She had grown much in these years, blossoming as if spring. She held Grey's hand in worry. Did the overseer want to do something to her?

Grey shook his head. "If it is what I think it is. No need to worry."

Mylene tilted her head.

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"Grey what do you think it is?"

Mylene could see a soft expression on his face, as if he were expecting it. In all these years, even if Grey had become a cripple. He was very smart.

"Just go and you'll find out," smiled Grey, coughing.

"Okay. Take care of yourself," said Mylene. She got up, patted his back one more time, and left.

Grey's head felt dizzy. As Mylene left the room. He turned to the ground next to him and spat out blood.

~~~

Later in the night, the bells rang signaling the end of the day. Everyone returned to their rooms. Mylene walks in with a heavy heart. Untouched, but fatigued. She walks over and sits next to Grey. Her head leans on Grey's shoulder, waking him from his slumber.

"Mylene?"

"Tell me Grey. When are we going to get out of this place? Have we not waited enough? Let us get our things and run at night. We can say we have a stomach ache or-"

"Mylene....What did the overseer tell you?"

"Does it matter what he told me? We need to get out of here remember?"

"Mylene..."

Mylene's eyes teared up. She wiped the tears off and her voice trembled.

"He told me I would be leaving the mines tomorrow to Urich. He says I am to work at some place for so-so years before I am free. But I told him no. I said I wasn't leaving. Not unless he let you go too."

"Mylene," coughed Grey.

"Calling me name won't change my thoughts. Who cares about some place? If I leave then what will happen to you? Are you telling me to let you die here alone?"

Mylene's eyes looked on the ground, downhearted. Her thoughts a swirl of despair. Who cares if she was safe? She was only safe because Grey had taken her punishment every time she did something wrong. To abandon him. She wouldn't allow it!

Her thoughts muddled. She began to realize something. The words that Grey had said to her two years ago. "If the first plan fails the second is guaranteed to work."

She turned to Grey accusingly.

"Grey, tell me did you know this would happen?"

Grey turned his head and dared not answer.

"Grey!" Mylene cried. Did he want to die? What kind of plan was this?

"I knew..."

Suddenly, years of mysteries made sense. How Grey had not told her what happened to Herbert. Those smallest infractions, begging to protect her from harm, so that even after two years her skin was as fair as it was when she entered.

"Tell me Grey," her eyes watering. "What will happen to me?"

"You'll be taken to a brothel and worked there for a few years. But with the training I have given you. It's likely a mage like my master will take notice and buy you off for your talent. Even if it takes a few years. I am certain that you will be able to escape."

"And you?" her voice, trembling.

"I will stay here."

"You will die!"

"It is okay."

"No, it is not okay. Why do you always say that."

She moved to hit him, but gently pounded her fist on his chest.

"You think you can leave me! I won't allow it! Didn't you say you would be a great hero? What kind of hero dies like this..."

Tears falling. She sobbed quietly on his chest.

"I saved you didn't I?" he coughed. Blood fell from his lips. Mylene could only look on with more despair.

"Then if you don't save me will you not die? If I yell and scream and kick they will not be able to take me."

Grey's face lost all color. For Mylene to say such things. Will all his work go to waste? Mylene could see the pain on his face and could not bear to look him in the eye.

"I'll do it you know. I'll raise up such a fuss that they will think I am crazy or sick. Who will take a sick person?"

"Please..."

A single word that pierced through Mylene's heart. She looked at him with anguish. Grey moved with all his strength. He lifted his arm and held her hand.

"Please go."

Thoughts rushed in. Her feelings for him had grown so strong over the years. She wished to hold him and for him to hold her. But the strength faded from his hands. She could only weep and hug him alone.

"I promise to never forget you. Even if a thousand years have passed. Even if I am lying on the road spitting out blood. I'll definitely remember this moment. I'll kill all these cruel villains so that they may know the pain I feel today."

She moved to his face. Her breathe on his neck. She kissed him deeply. The warmth of her feelings flooding into his body.

"I'll never forget....I'll never forget...for a thousand years..."

Grey leaned his head against hers and both of them fell asleep.

~~~

"Why this one?" asked the guard. He led a long robed woman down the tunnels. Her hair flowing a bright white color. Colorful fabric flowed like water from her body. Her eyes like emeralds. She looked at the boy leaning alone by the wall in the lonely room. His eyes a murky white. His arms scarred beyond belief.

"The girl that was with him a few days ago would be something, but this guy is already half dead."

"Does it matter why I need him?" spoke the woman, softly.

Her eyes gazing deep into the boy's eyes. Rage. Sadness. Regret.

"I see something I like. So I shall take it."