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ELIXA CHAPTER 51
Walking into the cave brought a different feel and added a natural warmth to their soul. Though the heater heated their body, it was the sudden warmth on their faces that made Kristen lick her lips. She rubbed her hands together, swallowing and remaining at the entrance of the cave, without zeal to continue. There was something about the cave that made her heart skip. It was a hunch, one she wished she could keep at bay. On days like this, she would have avoided the occasion and walked far away, until the feeling stopped. She hugged herself, eyes, searching the winter-plowed land they had just stepped away from. Even if she wanted to try, it would be suicide walking away from the group. It was true that the heater kept her warm, but she didn’t know how long its power would last. The only way to survive was to follow Kenish and his compass. God help them if they find the wall. “This would do,” Kenish lowered himself and dropped the brown bag on the cold floor, “We could continue our j
ELIXA CHAPTER 52
It was the ringing in her ears and the dust in her mouth that made her realize she was no longer spinning in the air. Coughing, she tried to raise her head, but her hands and feet were suddenly numb. There was even a thump at the back of her head, pulsing slowly like a second heart. Swallowing was difficult, and the dust in her mouth caused the side of her lips to burn terribly. Everywhere burnt. From her nose, the side of her face, and her ears. She must have brushed her face on the surface of a stone. And the ringing in her ears was becoming too loud that she could barely hear herself think. Why did it hurt so bad? The first fall had been better. The ground had cushioned her and had prevented her from getting aching muscles. What has changed? Why did it hurt so badly?Coughing, Kristen tried to return to her feet. She could move her head, and it seemed the stiff neck had regained its grace. However, the rest of her body kept their mind, preventing her from even moving her fingers, f
ELIXA CHAPTER 53
At first, the force pushed the Darkeel to the other side of the field, causing it to create a trail as it rolled over the grass of green, side by side, with tentacles, feet and antenna, swerving in a whipping motion until it stopped at the far side. Its breath was steady; falling and rising like a collapsible balloon. She had expected the gun to kill it, but it ended up knocking it off, perhaps, not that she was going to dwell in comfort, their chances of survival were slim, and unless they acted fast, she doubted they could get away. Darkeels were never lone packs. This one must have slipped through the wall unnoticed. If it was here, then another might be lurking around somewhere. And she wouldn’t want to put Kristen in such trouble. She had the skill herself, but it would take more than skill to fight a darkeel and kill it. Battling one was difficult enough. If another showed up… “Take my hand,” Vick’s face tightened with an urgency as leaned forward and tilted her free gloved ha
ELIXA CHAPTER 54
Despite having the hood on, they kept their heads down as they walked through the seas of people, swimming to the far side and hoping to beat the crowd or be swept by its unfavorable tides. Smells of sweat followed their hasty feet, blending with the shouts and screams of excitement. Catherine had said something about a game that was held once in four years. At first, Damian’s curiosity had piqued him into thinking that it was the world cup. But after Catherine had explained that the ball was not played with the foot but with hands, he had lost every interest. He was not a fan of sport but had loved football at one time. It was a long time ago. Handball was his least favorite. He had always wondered why adults would engage in children’s activity and call it a sport.“Towards the alley,” Catherine coughed and nodded to the other side of the road. Damian pulled her in, shading and guiding her by the shoulders towards the lone street. That didn’t register well, especially since they were
ELIXA CHAPTER 55
“Is something funny?” Catherine said and studied Tom's searching eyes. He was at it again. He was wearing one of those looks which say 'you have all the freedom outside, but not here. Catherine shifted her weight. She hated those looks, she hated the fact that she had allowed him to use her like a stash bag all these years. She hated that he had the control and will and always tried to control her as if holding a magic wand that could create an invincible cage.Tom coughed twice before gulping the last content on the bottle. Those looks in his eyes were still searching, waiting and perhaps judging. She was not his little princess anymore. She had grown into a woman, a tough one, and not something he could toy around with any time his whim was of course. Sauntering languidly, he tossed the empty bottle by the side, before walking forwards to stand beside her. He held that confident composure of his, with a glee imbuing the sides of his eyes. She had come begging for his help, even aft
ELIXA CHAPTER 56
Damian shuddered, walking towards the lone streets and hanging his air pipe on his nose. Night was heavy on its cloak and had huddled the world with its cold hands. Winter was a few months away, yet he could see the mist, forming slightly on the horizon, a harbinger of what would be, in the coming days. He hated the cold, and winter especially. It was not because of the discomfort, but because of the memory, they birthed with them. His parents had passed away on a winter night, and even though Damian had been about five or so years, he could still remember crying all by himself as the undertaker lowered their corpse into the white earth. Money had not saved them, and certainly not technology. Elixa would have brought them back to life, but the doctors had said something about their blood not being compatible with the mechanics of the system. He had not understood what they meant then and had not understood it now either. There have been too many speeches and little action. His parents
ELIXA CHAPTER 57
“Don’t worry, we will find him.” Tom’s words faded with the motion blur that walked past on the right-hand side of the hovering sports car. Coloured lights hung on the dark briny world, enveloping what’s left of the evening. It was at least 1 am, yet the city was still alive, speaking and shouting, and laughing too. Men and women paroled the streets, thugs perhaps, Catherine was not sure. Many thoughts came flashing through her mind's eyes as she rested her head on the glass pane. The world was so small and fragile. One moment of sorrow was all that was needed to break that moment of joy and happiness. How on earth is she going to explain Damian’s disappearance? It happened so fast. What Is she going to do?She closed her eyes, hoping that the fading motions would take away her fears and sorrow. Too many things had happened. How had she gotten to this time and space? If only she had the power and will, maybe she would revert the hands of time back to the moment when everything was per
ELIXA CHAPTER 58
CHAPTER 58"I am not a bloody cat. The name is Catherine. Get it?""Okay, fine, I get it," Tom said slowly before dropping his hands as if dejected.Catherine felt like screaming at him or yanking those mockeries out of his eyes. Well, that would not help anyone, especially since she needed his help."I think the elevator would be better," she hissed before walking towards the door."Of course," Tom laughed. "But are we not supposed to plan or think things through? What if he is being held hostage or worse. What are we going to do?""Listen to me," Catherine turned her attention to him, "We should focus on looking for Damian. That should be our priority."I
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- ELIXA
CHAPTER 88
Catherine's muscles sang with fatigue as she hurried through the empty hallway. Her heart raced with her feet and her blood boiled within her veins. The urgency made her take the stairs, twice at a time. Amid the rustling voice of the wind, she could hear the mockery at the back of her head. The second bell had gone off, signaling the beginning of the cooling break for the inmates and the first shifts for the Wardens. It was their signal, the clue she and her friends had been waiting for.No, never. She thought. It was a trap. She should have known from the beginning. This was never going to work, the Shadowman knew their secrets and was waiting for them to make the first move. The plan had been a mistake all along.Catherine bit her under lips when she finally made it to the last floor. The door on the exit, brown and twice her size, stood
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 87
"What's his name," Catherine asked looking past the Founders on the field, towards the door standing on the far end."Drake." Vick breathed in before parting Catherine's shoulders, smiling in the process. " Don't worry, he is not worth your anger""How much does he know? How much did Damian reveal?""Don't get sick over that, Damian was smart to play the dumb game.""You are giving him a lot of credit, the deal was to remain quiet instead of revealing the one information that would probably get us killed.""Do be so mean. I thought you liked him""Yes I do, but not when he is dead. I like living creatures.""Hmm, someone got back their sense of humour."Catherine picked one of the cracked stones and dropped them into the wheelbarrow. The scorching sun had failed to hide under the forming cloud. It was sending merciless heat on the earth, almost shattering their skull. And the founders had not provided them with any water or shade.She needed to get away from this place, so sad Damian
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 86
Damian has never been to prison before, and he hadn't expected his first experience to be among wayward Founders whom society had rejected. Most of them stood tall, with veins trailing the sides of their long neck like tendrils of creeping plants. Their hands were pale and faces as dark as coal. The fairness of their skin was lost from the blistering heat of the sun, which left their skins in scales as a testimony of the sun's harshness. The wall of the prison stood in the far distance. Its edges were smooth and almost touching the cloud. It made Damian wonder if he was going to die here. There was no getting out. Nothing could save him and his friends. This was their doom and end. Unless Molhin and the council changed their mind, and he doubt that would happen anytime soon."Nobody mentioned prison would be this boring," Ygon said. She was the only one who is finding being locked up, funny.
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 85
"How can this be? All of it is impossible. It’s so absurd?" Nina fell on the couch, too tired to think. Her heart was aching and her world spun with confusion. It happened so fast. One moment she was delighted to be home, to be celebrating with her father the Emperor of the nine rings. And then, like a flash of lightning, it was all gone, replaced by a nightmare she had never had. How could this be? Where was good fortune when she needed it the most?"I don't have the answers you seek, Nina. But I must warn you, you must lie low, for now, everyone wants your head. They think you killed the Emperor." Rodian said unfazed by her sob and uneasiness."How can I possibly kill my father? It doesn't make sense.""Many would do that to ascend the throne. There is nothing man cannot do for the quest of pow
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 84
St. Vincent’s streets were the last place Carlos wanted to be. Coming here was a mistake, it has always been a misfit for him. The people and the air and the noise, all seemed off. He had never fit into society, not before and certainly not now. Everything about the street brought back old memories. On the shores of this very street, he had been abducted by the Garrison and sentenced to jail to rot there. It was a long time ago, about ten or so years before he formed the Red Heron crew. Yet, the memory and the need to breathe through an air pipe, instead of the normal, natural air, added more salt to his injuries. He hated the streets. The city itself was magnificent, with its silver tower almost touching the blue sky. Emron was the capital city of Bel Haven and the second most prosperous state in the entire Nine Rings. It was the seat of the Emperor, the home of wealth and power. A drawback to it, however, was the structure and la
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 83
Perfection was the best word to describe the event. From the procession to the people’s square, down to her very room. It was perfect. The last time she had seen so many people gathered together to celebrate her father was on his fiftieth birthday. She was so young then, but she could recall how everything had played out. It was a replica of today’s event, a cloned version of this one. The only missing piece was the presence of the Empress, her mother.Nina sighed and took the photograph sitting on the table. A smile appeared on her face without permission as her eyes studied the three people in the photo. Her father stood on the right and towered over them, and his younger version had a smile that Nina had never seen on him, ever since her mother passed on. The empress, a dark-haired woman, stood on the left and was laughing as well. Her bright eyes were wide and seemed to portra
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 82
CHAPTER 82Hope watched with satisfaction at the disarray in the people’s square. She was pleased with the ingenuity of her shadow man. Left to her, she would have sneaked behind and killed the emperor without the eyes of his guards. But the shadow man had done the perfect job. It had not only killed the Emperor but had played the Nina part well. It also used the people to create a diversion so it could get to the emperor. Causing a riot? Hope hadn’t seen that one coming. It was a great idea, one which Hope doubt she would have thought up herself. That riot had kept the garrison busy, leaving her Shadow to fight off the palace guards and the Firstborn. This was the best day of her life, one which she would celebrate for all eternity. Everything was falling in place. All her plans, it was just a matter of seconds.Her smile broadened when she heard the approaching footfal
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 81
Numerous hoverbikes and air shuttles covered the air as the parade continued through the streets. It was almost impossible to see the rays of the morning sun which sat in the sky like a yellow lens. The palace guards had taken the front and the rear, leaving the side and the middle to the able hands of the garrison. They were heavily armed, and their watchful eyes were attentive to pick out any possible threat. They kept watching the tall buildings, the streets and the crowd. It was the best they could do, they were the best in their jobs, and times like this call for their attention and professionalism. This was one of its kind. It was the golden jubilee of the Emperor, 50 years since he sat on the throne and ruled the nine rings with power and a rod of fire. Compared to his predecessors, he was an angel, but none of them had lived up to his age. None had sat on the throne this long and none had conquered more kingdoms or held so much p
- ELIXA
CHAPTER 80
The noise from the founders had quieted down, replaced now with a silence that could only be found in a ghost town. Even the courtroom looked empty and gloomy, from the tongue of light that created circular shadows. One look and one would think the room is empty; there were at least sixty-five thousand Founders who had gathered here, to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. According to Catherine, the founders had a legend and prophecy in their land. It was a lost legend that would shape their lives and restore the balance to their nation. But after so many years, some of them were beginning to lose hope in the prophecy. Some have called it a joke and would laugh it away whenever it was mentioned. That was the reason why so many believers were enthusiastic. The unbelievers, well, they still held that doubt in their faces. Nothing about them has changed much.Kristen sat among the audience, b
