When Mira peeled the mask from her face, she felt the rush of energy evaporate from her veins. Her exhausted muscles shrank as she became herself again. The blissful power swept so much away from her each time she tapped into it. She wondered if this was how mundane people felt after a long day. Or, if it was closer to how one felt after a long night of drinking.
Either way, she did not enjoy it.
Though, she enjoyed the quiet night. The pinging headache quieted as only the sound of chirping bugs met her ears. She could relax in peace. She walked to the entrance of the cave and noticed Pallik was missing. When she felt eyes on her, she turned and saw the teen staring at her with an odd look on his face.
“Mira, where have you been?” He looked down the road, “You weren’t here.”
“Why aren’t you asleep?” She countered.
“I had to pee,” He sighed and shook his head, “That’s a lie. I saw you were gone and went looking for you.”
“Oh?” She walked towards him, “Can’t sleep?”
“Not after today,” He looked dejectedly at the ground, “Mira, I killed a man. I… I don’t know how to process that.”
Mira waved a hand away from the cave entrance and the pair walked further down the path. She broke branches of a nearby tree and used them as indicators of where they went, should anyone else look for them. She took him far enough away to keep their conversation as private as possible. Pallik leaned against the base of a thin tree and held his head in his hands.
“How do you handle this?” Pallik twirled a hand around, “I feel terrible.”
“Because you are human,” Mira wrapped her cloak around him and sat next to him, “It should not have been tonight. With any luck, it would have never happened. I shouldn’t have accepted your help.”
A chill of wind caused Pallik to shiver, “How are you not cold? The nights around the mountain base are freezing.”
“I am used to it,” She snapped her fingers and held a ball of flame between them.
“Why do you always help us?” He smacked her hand angrily, “What’s wrong with you?”
She blinked, “I do not understand.”
“Mira… that voice has haunted me since the first night I heard it,” He glared at her, “You are always helping me and Tella. Why? Is it because you’re guilty? Is it you?”
She looked away from him, “I do not know the question you asked.”
“Did you kill my parents?!” He stood up and threw her cloak at her, “Was it you? Are you that thing?!”
“I cannot answer one of those questions, as much as I wish I could,” Her voice croaked out.
Pallik saw the black veins forming around her neck as she choked back the answer. He kicked her and she did not move to block him. When she didn’t move at all, he threw himself at her. When he tried to take his frustrations out on the dead tree behind her, she grabbed his wrists.
“I did not kill your parents,” She didn’t flinch as he punched her shoulder.
“How long have you been that thing?” Pallik screamed as he cried, “How long have you been lying to us?”
Mira waited until he got much of his frustration out on her. She reached a single hand to his shoulder and gripped it tightly. He slammed his fists into the ground to tree and to avoid striking her again.
“How long have you been lying to me?” He kicked the ground, “To Tella?”
“I’m sorry.”
He gripped her shoulders and shook her. Mira did nothing to stop him. His teary blue eyes glared into her with fear and anger.
“She admires you so much and you killed our parents!”
“The monster killed them,” She whispered, “But… if you wish to know your parents’ last moments, I can tell you.”
“Why did you let us live?” He sobbed and fell into her lap, “Why, Mira? Is it some sick game?”
“Pallik,” Mira gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders, “I saved you because your mother asked.”
“My… mom?”
“I wanted to tell you when you both were older,” She shook her head, “But it seems that wasn’t wise. I will answer whatever questions you have.”
He tried to cover his sniffles to avoid more embarrassment. She grabbed her cloak and threw it over him as he sat next to her. Her fingers ran through his hair to soothe him further.
“I want to know,” He grabbed her cloak in his hand, “Tell me everything.”
“Are you sure?”
“Tell me.”
“The monsters around here are connected to my master,” She winced as the brand’s tendrils tightened on her neck, “I do not know how, but they are. He had me fight them too many times for it to be a coincidence.”
Pallik reached up to grab her hand. Mira did not pull away as he intertwined his fingers with hers. It relaxed him and that is what mattered at that moment. She ignored the pain it caused and continued.
“I do not know if you remember the beast itself, but it was as tall as the temple. Three snake heads on a roach body. I chased it for days across Zrud,” Mira sighed, “It finally slowed down at the village you grew up in. By then, it had to be starving. I -the wraith, I mean ignored the cries for help from those around me as it tried to battle the creature.”
“How do –” Pallik squeezed her hand, “How does the wraith become the wraith?”
Mira pulled the mask from the pouch at her belt and handed it to him, “This can be used to focus someone’s power to enter that form. Much like Tella uses a needle to focus her spells, or other mages use a wand or staff.”
“Does it hurt?” He rolled onto his back to look up at her.
“Yes,” She closed her eyes, “The power, though, is worth it. It’s intoxicating. I’ve never felt anything else like it. No drink, no taste, no person.”
Pallik put it against his face and looked back up to Mira, “What happened next?”
“I saw a man swinging at the legs of the beast as I jumped onto its back,” She recalled the face, “You look just like your father, you know. You’ve almost grown to his height.”
“You remember him?” He moved the mask from his face.
“Vividly,” She nodded, “He was a strong warrior.”
“He really tried to kill that thing on his own, didn’t he?” Pallik chuckled, “Sounds like him.”
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“Your father raised his sword and declared me an ally until after the fight was over,” Mira looked to the distance, “He tried to keep it from running off further down the road to Vimgraunt. He wanted to keep the temple safe. He said that was where his family ran off towards.”
Mira waited for a question that did not come. Then, she continued.
“Eventually, the scorpion tail pierced his shoulder. The poison worked too quickly for any antidote I had. He continued to fight until his body collapsed,” She squeezed his head, “He died protecting the road that led to you. He yelled to not let it pass.”
The awkward pause between them clung onto the air. Pallik closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“What about my mom? Did you kill her?”
“She is a different story,” She sighed, “Your mother sent you and Tella further along the trail that night. She wanted to go back and save the other village children. With you safe, she would try to save other lives.”
“Mom was always so selfless,” He put the mask on his chest, “She told me to take Tella and run.”
“After I slayed the creature, I began my trek back to my master when your mother grabbed my shoulder,” She placed her hand on her shoulder, “I remember her looking at me with her blue eyes and asking why I was not helping anyone.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“It never occurred to me to,” She paused to answer the unasked question, “My master wanted me to follow orders. I never thought of doing anything else. Your mother surprised me by grabbing… the wraith and dragging it through the village to look for survivors.”
“What do you mean? She just grabbed onto you?”
“Yes,” Mira chuckled, “Your mother grabbed that form by the wrist and made it search for survivors.”
“She looked at that terrible thing and bossed it around?” He airlessly laughed, “She would.”
“She only stopped when she saw your father,” She squeezed his hand again, “She said a prayer and continued on. I moved debris to help her look for anyone. We searched nearly every house, until one collapsed on her.”
“You never told me that,” He let go of her hand and sat up, “Why didn’t she come back to us?”
“I tried to convince her to leave the village and go back to you. She refused. By the time I convinced her leave, she was coughing up soot and her legs were badly damaged,” Mira looked into his icy blue eyes and shook her head, “She didn’t have survived more than a few hours.”
“Why didn’t you bring her back to us?”
“I tried to,” She looked away, “I carried her on my back towards your hiding spot.”
“You never told me that,” He furrowed his brow.
“She talked about the two of you constantly. She gave me directions and told me to find you. That I should look for a brave little boy and a smart little girl,” Mira smiled and patted his shoulder, “As your mother slipped away, she asked me to watch over you both.”
“What were her last words?” His eyes watered.
“My children are my world. They are the best things in existence,” She repeated the words from heart, “Please, stranger, help them live. They’re too wonderful to leave the cycle this early. Save them for me.”
Pallik covered his face and sobbed. Mira felt tears roll down her own face as the teen wrapped his arms around her. She copied the motion as he cried. Her hand rubbed his back as he squeezed himself against her.
“You really didn’t kill them?” He whispered.
“You have my word.”
“Thank you,” He buried his face in her shoulder as he hugged her.
Mira rested her head on top of his as she held him. He tried to calm his shaky breath as she comforted him.
“I still remember your face as I walked into the cave,” She chuckled slightly to lighten the mood, “You had that little butter knife drawn and tried to protect your sister.”
“My dad always told me to protect her,” He nodded, “You too.”
Mira ran her hand along his back. She pulled away and met his icy blue eyes with her own. He blinked the water away and searched her for answers.
“Pallik, I did not let you die because your mother requested me to,” She smiled softly, “I continued to protect you both because I value you. I will continue to do so until I can no longer breathe.”
“Mira—”
“I am not allowed friends, Pallik,” She cupped his face, “But you two are close to me and I will die before letting harm come to you. I promise you that.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” She furrowed her brow.
He put his hands over hers and pulled them away from his face.
“Letting me get mad at you after everything you’ve done for us. I feel like a spoiled brat for yelling at you,” He sighed, “I know you do what you can. I just wish there was something we could do for you. You shouldn’t have to kill all those people.”
“It can’t be helped,” Mira shrugged, “I do what I can to save people because of you two.”
“Really?”
“Because of you both, I saw the lines of my master’s commands can be skewed,” She grinned, “That’s let me have some fun, at least. It’s been a light in my otherwise bleak existence.”
“I… didn’t know that.”
“Did you think I just ignore my orders for fun?” Mira chuckled, “I try to find ways to spend time with you.”
Pallik threw his arms back around her and she hugged him back. The constant physical touch exhausted her, but he needed this. She knew he needed it. She rubbed his back again and he pressed his face against her shoulder.
“You lived, Pallik. You are safe.”
“I know, Mira,” He sniffled, “It’s just… Today’s been a lot.”
“Feeling guilt after taking a life is normal,” She reassured him, “Wondering about those who have passed is normal. Delpho and I knew this conversation would happen one day.”
“Delpho knows?” Pallik blinked, “Does everyone at the village?”
She shook her head, “Only Delpho. My master did not trust anyone else to not spread the rumor of the wraith to any passing travelers.”
“Why do they call you Merawl, then?”
“Just as you did, because I am inhuman in battle, even if I am in my own skin,” Mira lowered her voice, “It does not matter what I look like, I am still a reaper.”
“I’m sorry I called you that,” He rested his forehead on her shoulder again, “I know you don’t like it.”
“Battle is tough. You did well today,” She ran her fingers through his hair, “Even if you feel like you failed.”
“But I’m the reason you got—”
“You made it out alive. That’s all that matters,” Mira chuckled.
The teen rested in her arms for a few more minutes before he pulled himself from her lap. Pallik looked up at her with a sadness she didn’t expect.
“I… I know you have to leave. What happens now?” He rubbed his eyes, “Where will you go?”
“After we get to the temple, I will travel with my master to our next location,” She paused, “I…do not know when I will see either of you again.”
“Forever?” His eyes watered again, “After all that?”
“The Travel Knights found our home. I must move with my master,” Mira playfully messed with his hair, “I kept Jonen alive to ensure more men in the area. And, because of our recent skirmish, the bandits are now under my control. They’ll protect you from now on.”
Pallik tackled her in a hug, “I don’t want you to go.”
“I do not want to either,” She hugged him back, “Your mother taught me to look after others. You and Tella taught me to be human.”
They squeezed each other harder as he tried to keep his emotions in check.
“With any luck, I can come back. I promise I will try my best.”
“What happens if you can’t?”
“Then I will send many letters,” Mira let him grab her hand again, “And, Pallik… do not tell your sister until she’s older. She’s too young to know.”
“Duh,” He chuckled and rubbed his eyes, “You really planned everything to protect us, didn’t you?”
“As best I could,” She stood and lifted him to his feet, “Now, let’s go back and sleep.”
“Will… will you show me?”
“You want to see it?” She raised an eyebrow.
He grabbed the mask from the ground and put it in her hands. He nodded and waited for her to react.
“It is not a pleasant sight.”
“I know.”
Mira placed the mask against her face. The little time between morphing forms would wreak havoc on her body after she changed back. Pallik watched in horror as her limbs extended and cracked. Black mist surrounded them as it hardened against the wraith’s skin. Pallik looked up at the mask with frightened eyes. The wraith tucked its legs under its arms and looked away from him.
“Is this what you wanted to see?” Its eerie voice spread across the mist, “The monster?”
“It… it’s terrifying,” He stuttered, “How can you—”
It ripped the mask off its face and slowly shrunk back to Mira. She rubbed at her throbbing head and wheezed as her breath came back. Pallik grabbed her shoulder and threw the mask away.
“Mira!”
“I am fine,” She waved his worry off, “It just takes a substantial amount of energy. I showed you because you wanted to see. I am at my weakest point after I take the mask off. Only you, and my master, know that now.”
“Why would you tell me?”
“Because Pallik, I trust you to kill me if I am ever told to kill anyone you love,” She smiled softly, “I might not be able to do it myself, but I will give you that opening.”
“I don’t want to kill you!”
“I know,” Mira chuckled, “But, if that is an option, then take it.”
He waited for her to lay in the grass before he rested his head on her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair and looked into the night sky. Someone knew the secret. If he couldn’t kill her, then he could tell someone else, and they might buy him time. When she started to sit up again, he gripped her arm.
“Can we stay out here a bit longer? I don’t want Tella to see I’ve been crying,” He rubbed at his eyes, “I’m supposed to be the strong brother.”
“Warriors can cry,” Mira laughed, “But, yes. We can wait out here a bit longer.”
“Can I lay back down in your lap again?”
“Of course.”
He rested his head in her lap and closed his eyes. Mira ran her fingers through his hair and hummed lowly. Pallik reached up to grab her hand again and she didn’t move away.
“When are you going to sleep?” He whispered, “You didn’t last night.”
“I’ll sleep when I feel you both are safe.”
“Will you at least stay for the Harvest Festival? It would make Tella happier,” He whispered, “Give her one last good memory before we never see you again.”
“I will on one condition,” She smiled down at him.
“What?”
“If there’s dancing, you have to be my partner for at least two songs. I don’t get to practice dancing very often.”
“Deal,” Pallik snorted.