The two siblings broke their fast on half a serving of salted meat, flatten round bread made from corn, and water. For Flora the meal was adequate for a girl her size, but Elliot could still feel the pangs in his stomach.

I'll live. Elliot told himself.

Managing their food to last as long as possible was top priority. He couldn't imagine the chaos the city would be in after word of his glow spreads. The massive mobs that would form all so they could capture him and claim the prize. Part of him wondered if those that saw him would keep the incident to themselves.

The less to know about his sighting the better. It would decrease the odds of someone else finding Elliot and claiming the prize first. Elliot shook his head. He knew the citizens' love for gossip would cloud their reasoning. Not to mention that he wasn't exactly subtle during the robbery. The guards would get involved and would start a hunt to reclaim the money he stole.

“Ikal! Are you ready yet? It'll take three hours to reach the village. And I want to get back here before the sun sets.” Flora shouted. Her glow was a bright green.”

“That's if we were in the city Flo— Nakawé. From here it would only take us two hours to reach Los Palmeras.”

Elliot kept himself in the shade. He glanced over at Flora. She furrowed her eyebrows at him.

“Why are you hiding from it?” She scurried over to Elliot and grabbed his hands. “You're home Ikal. You don't have to be afraid.”

I'm not afraid!” Elliot saw as Flora's eyes grew large. Realizing he may have said his words too sharply he said, “I'm sorry Nakawé. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just… not comfortable being in the light as you are.”

“Ikal you promised me.” Flora whispered.

Elliot could feel his face darkening. The memory of his glow, and the crowd that fought one another was fresh in his mind. They didn't see a boy with a queer trait. To Elliot it felt like he was some fat cattle that ended up in front of a neighborhood hit with famine. All because of some law written by an old man who called himself king.

A law that caused them to hide from the world. A law that resulted in Flora's scar. Something Elliot blamed himself for. A law that forced him to steal the purse only to reveal himself to the city dwellers. All of this Elliot wanted to say to his sister and more. He restrained himself and turned his back towards Flora.

“Just… give me a minute Nakawé. I'm trying… but please be patient. It's not so easy for me.” Elliot didn't know if his words offended Flora. He felt better once he heard her speak.

“Okay Ikal. You know you can talk to me.” Before he could say a word she headed back to the beach.

Elliot wondered how long he would have to go through this. He wanted no more than to talk to Flora. To have her listen to his sorrows and worries. But like how a fish can't live out of water so too was Elliot unable to open up to her. Why is this so hard? Elliot thought.

Elliot sighed and turned to see his sister sitting on the beach. Her glow flickered on and off as white clouds lazily drifted in front of the sun. Blocking its light and darkening the beach. The darkened sky lasted only for a moment before the clouds drifted away and Flora's glow returned. Couldn't it have stayed cloudy? Just for a while longer? Elliot told himself.

Elliot took his first step into the light. The sight of his red glow was enough to scare him back into the shade. He closed his eyes as if expecting someone to jump out of the forest and say, it's him! He's the zapojin. Or another to say, he's mine! The prize is mine!

But nothing happened. Elliot opened his eyes and didn't see a city folk pop out of the forest. Nor voices that claimed him as his beloved prize. Just him and his sister on a sunny beach. On the wall I swear I will get through this. I have to. Elliot took a step forward and only flinched this time when he saw his fiery flame appear. He took a few more steps and soon his body was engulfed in his glow.

He walked towards Flora who was staring past the ocean and over the horizon.

“Why are you so gloomy? You'll turn your flames gray.” Elliot taunted.

“Then your flames are late to turn.”

“When did my sister learn to be so sassy?” Elliot leaned forward to tickle Flora.

“Careful brother,” said Flora as their flames mixed creating a brown color, “your gray flames may infect my own.”

“That's good! I was getting tired of seeing the usual green you produce.” The pair laughed at that.

The sound of a crashing wave drowned out the siblings' laughter. A warm breeze blew by and Elliot felt a sense of renewal. They allowed the moment to linger before any of them said a word.

“Are you ready to say your final words to him?” Flora asked.

“I don't know. I don't feel anything if i'm being honest.” Said Elliot.

Flora lifted a brow. “Really? Nothing at all?”

Elliot pondered on her words as he lingered in thought. “No. Maybe I will once we get there.” Elliot stood and faced the ocean. He remembered reading in a book that the air should taste salty near the ocean but he never had that experience. “Let's get going, Nakawé. Like you said, it's going to take a few hours to get there.”

Flora nodded in agreement.

Elliot didn't realize how hot the day could turn in an instant. Halfway to Los Palmeras the sun was blazing upon the two. Mosquitoes buzzed around them and Elliot smacked his lips before slapping the mosquito on his skin.

“I'm starting to regret coming.” Said Elliot.

“we’re almost there brother. Once we do this it'll be a fresh new start for the both of us.”

Elliot wishes he could've shared in Flora's enthusiasm. The nightmare of what happened that day with the blacksmith's boy was ever present. He couldn't remember the last time he had a decent night of sleep. The sight of blood on the boy's head. The cold hammer in his hand tipped with blood. The resounding gasp from Flora. Elliot couldn't see how visiting his grave could make that day go away.

Here's to trying.

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When they arrived at what remained of Los Palmeras the first thing Elliot couldn't help but notice was the heavy scent of ash in the air.

“What do you think happened here Ikal?” Flora asked.

“Don't you remember what everyone in the city said happened?”

It was a loaded question. The truth was no one knew exactly what caused the fall of Los Palmeras. News of its destruction made its way to the city hours after it already happened. When the traveling merchants from Nuevo Paraiso returned from Los Palmeras all they could say was,

“The Mist is true! Death had come for those in Los Palmeras. All the bodies were gone. Wisped away by the creatures. There's nothing there now but ruin!”

The old men were quick to listen. They claim to have seen the mist during their youth. The tales of a thick mist that hid creatures never seen by man before. Creatures of mass destruction that ravaged all who were caught inside it. Only the wall and the great mountain spirit was said to have been able to keep the mist at bay. But Elliot was not an old man. He never believed the old cronies. But his faith wavered that day. And he couldn't help but feel uneasy returning to see the village in ruins.

“You think the mist really did all this? Look Ikal, some of the buildings have holes in them. What kind of creature do you think could've done that?”

“I don't know Nakawé. You know I don't believe in fairy tales. The mist never existed. Don't you think we would've encountered one of the creatures by now? We have been living at the beach for close to a year now. And never once have we been visited by the mist or any beast of legend.” Elliot felt brave saying those words. He only wished he was one hundred percent certain his words to be true.

Elliot nudged Flora who's body jumped like a frightened kitten. “There's nothing to be afraid of. Whatever happened here must've been a battle with roaming bandits.”

“A-are you sure?”

Elliot saw how Flora's eyes were close to tearing up. He needed to show her that there was nothing to fear. He needed to be strong for her. “I'm sure. Remember those merchants who started the tale of the mist attacking the city?” He waited for Flora to nod. “Well they came back! Alive and unharmed. If it were creatures I doubt they would've left so soon. They would've left bodies and skeletons. Monsters eat people. But the merchants said there were no bodies.”

“Bandits take slaves.” Flora said

This time it was Elliot who was nodding his head. “Those bandits must be long gone after three years. We'll be fine. I promise.”

“I love you Ikal.”

Elliot looked at his sister. He wasn't expecting her to say those words. It felt like he just ate the sweetest honey when his ears caught the sound of her words. “I love you too, Nakawé. I'll always protect you no matter what.”

The two walked towards the back of the village. Elliot cursed the way the people designed the village. To have to walk towards the back to reach the graveyard. He would've much preferred it to be near the village entrance. He could feel himself shaking under the weight of the unknown.

“Ow!” Flora yelled out.

Elliot quickly turned to see her sister laying flat on the ground.

“Flora are you ok?” Elliot said as he kneeled close to Flora.

“Im… ok. I tripped on this hole.” Flora said.

Elliot peered down and found a crater the size of a leather ball. The ground had been taken over by overgrown vegetation and Elliot caught a whiff of something similar to ash. Something he didn't know the name of and behind the ashy smell was the scent of smoke and fire.

“Keep your eyes open Nakawé. It will be bad if you twist your leg. How's your knee?”

“I'm alright. My pants kept my skin from cutting open, see?” Flora lifted her leg pants up above the knee.

Just a scratch and dry skin. We were lucky.

Elliot leaned down to kiss the knee before helping Flora back up to her feet. The thought of the crater still in his mind.

“Let's not overstay our welcome.”

“Agreed.” Said Flora.

Elliot made sure to quicken his pace. He avoided any path that had vegetation sticking out of the brick road. The more Elliot saw of Los Palmeras, the more convinced he was that its destruction was handed to it by bandits. Not the mist, and not the creatures that lived in it.

“Do you think it was the same group of bandits that took mom and dad, that did this?” Flora asked with a somber tone. Her words caught Elliot by surprise.

The thought hadn't occurred to him. What if it was the same raiders that attacked Nuevo Paraiso all those years ago? It's not like he had an army to search the land and rescue all those who had been taken. Even his parents.

“I don't know Nakawé. It could've been them. Maybe not. Who knows how many raiders are living in the wild.”

“Do you think they're close?”

Elliot stopped walking. He turned to his sister who had her head low. “You know what momma used to say to me?” She used to say that even if we're separated we will always be close because of one thing.”

Flora's eyes grew large and wide. “And what is that?’

Elliot pointed at Flora's chest. “Your heart. So long as you have your heart, those you love will always be close.”

“Even you Ikal?”

“Always.”

Flora gave Elliot a big squeeze.

Elliot was surprised how well-kept the graveyard was compared to the rest of the village.

“Are you ready Ikal?”

“As ready as I'll ever be.”

With each step Elliot took, the more he felt himself sink in his head. What would he say once he was face to face with the boy's grave? He couldn't see what good it would do to pay his respect to someone he put in the grave in the first place.

He felt the skin of his arm being pinched and twisted. The pain brought him back to reality with a sense of dread. When Elliot turned his body, he relaxed, he saw Flora as the culprit to his pain.

“What the hell was that for Flora?”

“Nakawé,” Flora corrected, “you brought the gold with you?”

Elliot looked down to see Flora pulling the purse tied to his waist. “What's the issue?”

Flora's jaw dropped. “It's disrespectful!” She shouted.

Elliot pulled back, "you can't expect me to leave it behind at the beach, unguarded now can you?”

“I can and I did!” We're here to pay our respect, Ikal. To start anew. Not show off our wealth.”

“Our wealth?” Elliot said with a sly smile.

“Yes, our wealth! What's yours is mine and mine is yours.”

“You own nothing!” Elliot laughed.

“Sounds like your problem.” There was a devilish smile behind her childish giggles.

Elliot untied the purse and pulled it upwards until Flora couldn't reach with her stubby arms. “Fine. I'll leave it here before we go see him.”

“You better.”

Elliot opened the purse and pulled out a gold coin. The sigil of the king, a stone face carved into a rocky wall, was etched on one side of the coin. The other had a drawing of the mighty wall. He never liked the sigil of the king. It always found a way to send cold shivers down his legs. The longer Elliot stared at the face on the wall coin the more he felt it stared back. He put the coin back into the purse before digging a hole in the ground for it.

I'll be back for you.

The grave was placed at the corner of the graveyard. Moss had started to grow on the epitaph. Elliot rubbed off the moss and felt his body tense up the moment he read the words carved into the stone.

Here lies young Pietro, son of Julia and Carlos, the blacksmith.

Known for his soft heart and bright smile. May the wall guard you into the next life.

Four namedays

Elliot and Flora started their prayers. Flora prayed for forgiveness and peace for the boy and his father. To watch over them and guide them as they started this new chapter in their life. Elliot clasped his hands and closed his eyes ready for prayer. But the moment it was his turn to say a few words he found himself unable to.

He found it insulting to ask for forgiveness and guidance. What he did, he did for survival. He couldn't form the words and he just stood silent. It must've been sufficient for Flora. She didn't say a word to him. Not when they stood in front of the grave. Not when they marched back to the beach. Not a word.