Recover - Forward

I arrive at the tent on request for a strategy meeting. Mimi greets me energetically enough, but nearly everyone else, except Abiliath, seems too worn down to give me much notice. Fennis raises his head long enough to offer me a nod before returning to shuffling pieces on the war table.

“Oh, how I wish I could have witnessed your power for my own.”

Abiliath looks at me, seeming to be incredibly upbeat to have experienced the same battle as the rest of us.

“You’re almost lucky to have not seen it for yourself. This girl here was quite terrifying in her destruction and yet… beautiful with that aura about her,” Kagura comments, giving me a wink.

Instantly, my face floods with heat and I know I’m blushing.

“Indeed. You were incredible, Eve. You showed great courage, if also great foolishness. We owe the outcome to you,” Gabe adds.

With that, the tent seemingly comes alive with banter over matters related to the battle of two days ago. Abiliath threatens to unseat my lead in kills in the round as others talk amongst themselves. Fennis’s focus cannot be broken at his table as he adjusts his pieces, anger coating his expression. Mimi tries to smooth things over before they escalate, rubbing his back and talking war with him.

I believe Fennis knows he can’t speak up and scold us in this kind of environment. No matter how much he wants to always have everyone at his heel, he knows the value of morale.

When Kay enters the tent with Dom at her side, I notice that he seems to have aged much more than possible in our time apart. He walks with the wariness of prolonged horseback riding in his steps. As he makes his way in, the tent’s merriment ceases.

“Good to see you,” Fennis tells Domnis while clasping arms with him.

“You as well. I hate that I did not make it in time for the last battle. I hear we have an unexpected hero to thank,” he replies, dragging his gaze down to me.

“I am-” I cut him off with a hug.

“I’m happy to see you are well, Dom.”

He hesitantly returns my embrace, causing his scruffy beard to rub at my face.

“Were you a student of mine, Eve?”

“How’d you know my name?”

“Ah. Very true. How so?”

“Enough. You are well, as has been established. Now what do you have to tell us about the path through Hercynian Forest?”

Dom backs away from me, clears his throat, and starts his dissemination of what he’s learned. He tells us about the lack of any real defense inside the forest itself and how the fields around it are being patrolled by Eld. It seems that unlike the Beta, the Eld are capable of following more intricate orders.

“If we get through the forest, we could lock the Academy in a pincer attack,” Dom finishes.

“The forest is twisted and treacherous. At best, only a small, elite group could move through with any speed,” Fennis counters, giving me a bad feeling. “Eve,” he says, confirming my suspicions, “I will leave this to you. You may take anyone else with you. Keep it small and light. I'll take the main army and head toward the Academy.”

“Erm. Dom. Where is Kyle?” I ask.

“Bartholum? He’s otherwise preoccupied, procuring something or another he learned of from the late Ninavin's notes.”

Nina… Oh Nina. What I would give to have you back with me!

“I see. Then-”

“I'll go,” Rose says.

Immediately, she is met with gasps of surprise.

“What? Rose you can't possibly come,” I protest.

Fennis dismisses any further complaints I could have with a wave of his hand. “Let her. She serves no greater purpose at my side.”

“Fine. Any other volunteers?”

“Sounds like suicide. I'm in,” Abiliath says, standing.

“I shall accompany you as I have navigated through it in full once before,” Dom adds.

“So, the stories are true then?” Abiliath laughs. “This is going to be an amazing opportunity. To think I shall bear witness to the Vargar of wizardry myself!”

I see. So Dom is the world’s best wizard.

“You four will cause an uproar in the rear of the Queen's base,” Fennis explains. “The rest of us will crush them from the front.”

The tent bustles as the meeting adjourns and everyone moves to their places – except us.

When Fennis approaches, he tenderly caresses Rose’s hand and kisses it, reminding her to be careful before beckoning me to follow him.

Our walk takes us through the camp in silence and my mind wanders back to earlier times.

How could Nina have been involved with all of this?

I think back to the day we met, and the stubbornness she displayed as she tried to get me to eat. The way my name always dripped from her lips in the most tantalizing of ways…

…as she teased about paralysing me again...

…when this dreadful title of mine warped her desires into lust, my name again fell from her lips in such need…

…when we met in the office before that Beta attacked us.

“Eve…” In this world where none could remember me, how was she able-

My lungs deflate rapidly as the world spins and my vision darkens. I wince as jagged bark jabs into my back and I realize Fennis has slammed me into a tree. I don't even remember when we got into the forest.

“Godsdamnit, girl! Are you going to respond, or am I to kill you here and now?”

“Eh?” A sound saturated with my obliviousness escapes me.

“Of course, you weren't listening, you plebian.”

He puts even more pressure on me against the tree, putting gashes in my back through my clothing. I hiss in pain, telling him to get to the point.

“Protect Mother, or I will personally ensure your end.”

“What?”

Again, he applies more pressure. “I said to protect Rose with your life. Do you hear me now?”

Anger flares up within me, expressing itself as a small glow around my arms. I shove Fennis away from me and he crashes through one tree before slamming into another.

I march up to him and pick him up as surprise blankets his face before quickly fading and giving way to anger.

“What the fuck do you-”

“What is it you told me?”

Now it's his time to wince from pain.

“I told you already-”

“Why Mother?” I scream at him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” He shouts back, shoving away.

I’m not entirely surprised by his reaction. After all, anytime these fucking riddles come to light, it's as if they've simply slipped through the cracks – the same as with the title of Zeroth. Small glimpses are all anyone obtains of the truth. Could this too be information in the same manner? Could others have glimpses into something I cannot see?

A rustling to my left shows Kay standing with a look of pure malice directed towards me. Before she has a chance to move, Fennis calls her out, telling her to heel like the dog she is.

As he turns his back to follow Kay out, he shouts in my general direction to not forget the promise I've made. Everything else aside, even if for selfish reasons, he wants Rose to return.

For selfish reasons of my own, I'll grant that promise.

***

Dawn approaches us as I stare out at possibly the final calm sunrise I’ll have. Emotion stirs my heart to see the beauty of the suns shining their light through the peaks of the mountains around us.

To my side stands the others, quiet and still. I believe their thoughts can’t be much different than my own. For once, I feel as much a part of the whole as I do just a piece in the story.

It isn’t long before this light gives way to dark thoughts. Everything that has happened to me, from possibly even the death of Rachel, to the death of Nina, has been my fault. I don't know how, but I am singularly responsible for everything.

My vision blurs and the wind carries what an ominous, mocking laugh. Slowly, one thought consumes me.

I will kill everyone who had a hand in hurting Nina.

The others spare me a glance, but make no move to speak.

With that as our signal, we move out – to a forest no man can clear, to a darkness no light may touch, and to my vengeance.