CHAPTER 70
EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT, from the light of the sun, shimmering in tiny tubes through the forest leaves, to the fresh morning air. It brought back old memories, one which Carlos wished had ended later enough. Two years ago, he had walked through this colorful garden with Betty. They had promised to get married and had discussed the number of kids they were going to have. She wanted four children, a girl and three boys. Carlos had wanted four as well, but two girls and two boys. Everything had been so clear those days, the future was not as hazy as they were now. He would have had the best family with Betty. They would have lived happily ever after.
Carlos kneaded his nose as the memory faded and was replaced by another scene. It was the day Betty had died. The picture was so vivid that he could still smell the smoke, the stench of sweat and the fibers from the leather belt
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
ELIXA CHAPTER 71
CHAPTER 71When they finally arrived at the house, the foggy dust had gone down, leaving behind rubbles and shattered roofs and ceilings. The once elegant structure that had stood in the middle of the compound some minute ago, was down on its feet, with nothing to suggest how magnificent it once was. Carlos could not calm his racing heart as they watched the ruins before them. Too many thoughts went through his head, thoughts that came pouring with so many vague pictures. What had happened? Were they under attack? Who had placed an explosive in their house?His eyes searched the parameters, there was not a single soul. The garden stretched on the four hands of the compound, colorful leaves dancing with the gentle wind and the lush vitality from the sun. There was a small path on the east wind, which broke out to the main road. The gate was locked. They had been in the garden all day
ELIXA CHAPTER 72
The sun was still hanging on the other side of the world when Len announced that they would camp for the night. Damian had argued with his decision pointing to the light of the sun that still created enough detail over the horizon. But Len had a better reason for choosing the forest. He explained that it would be best to stay within the shades of the forest, with the night to hue them from the eyes of the Darkeel than to wander out of the forest only to camp in an unknown open field. Of course, the Founders were not afraid of the Darkeel—and neither did the Darkeel—both parties would avoid each other at all cost, but that did not quench the fact that they were sworn enemies and could butcher each other if the need arose. The cause of the problem was still a piece which Damian doubted he would be able to fix in a very long time. Both Darkeel and The Founders were just too irritating for his liking. They could go ahead and kill themselves over some quarrel that was about a thousand year
ELIXA CHAPTER 73
“What were you thinking? You should put those tongues of yours in the right place before you get yourself into trouble.” Catherine was saying as they finally walked back into the tent. Vick, Ygon and Meyla were no longer in the tent, which was a surprise because they had not left the tent ever since. For fear of the Founders. Catherine had also heard a whisper from Ygon as she narrated her concern to her friend. To Ygon, the founders reminded her of the Darkeel, and she had vowed to remain within the tent until the first light before they decided to leave the Founder’s camp. But where in the nine Rings were they?“Kristen Is my friend.”“Oh yeah, one you just met some hours ago.”“No,” Damian shook his head, “I understand your co
ELIXA CHAPTER 74
It was the morning hours of the fifth month, three years since she left the safety of her home, to find solace in the confines of the wall. Three years was short, yet not a day has passed without her staring blankly at the calendar, wishing that the date could run fast enough. That they had refused her visit from her father in her second year had added more salts to her injury. She was homesick and needed to get as far away from these walls as possible. The things she once found exciting had become boring and flat. From her training to her class exercise. It was a repetition, everything. The same books, the same songs, the same training and the same people. It was all a repetition, an endless cycle of stupidity and foolishness. It’s no wonder why some of the students were beginning to commit suicide. Some of them had been told they were not good enough. And the environment is not encouraging either. It would be a miracle to find a
ELIXA CHAPTER 75
EVERYTHING IS PERFECT AND BEAUTIFUL when seen from a different perspective. From this vintage, Nina could see everywhere and everything at the same time. The world rose and fell, mountains, metals, forests, hills and valleys, buildings and every structure that made up the earth. They were all tiny in her eyes, a fragment that depicts how fragile the world could be. From this level, she could also see the vast water bodies that stretched from Bel Haven to the far side of Ekron and then disappeared when they got to Fair Haven, just some distance from Freetown, her school. The sun also walked on everything and everywhere, but began to fade towards the far side of the world, towards the direction of the weeping wall. It was strange and amazing at the same time, especially since the contrast gave the world a color that made it beautiful and charming."What are these purple smokes in the air?"
ELIXA CHAPTER 76
The smell of alcohol continued to hang in the air, giving the room a hospital whiff. Tina sat on the chair nearby and was tending to Carlos' wound again. Their fight with the gang members had not gone without a scratch. She had a little cut on her shoulder, but it was a flesh wound. Carlos was the one in a critical state. He had been shot on his left side and had lost too much blood. She would have taken him to the hospital, but that would be risky as it would only lead to questions being asked. And he was a wanted man. A notorious criminal. Tina had taken off the bullet. She had masterfully stitched them some days earlier and now she was removing the wire on the suture to avoid infection. Carlos could not say if she had worked in the hospital or the army. She had perfected the skill so much that he was barely feeling any pain. How was she doing it? Carlos hissed, looking the other way. He hadn't asked the girl where she had gathered the skill. He was not going to ask her, maybe anot
ELIXA CHAPTER 77
“My brother?” Carlos repeated. The words were resonating in his ears and caused the hair on his skin to stand. What does she mean? Was this some kind of joke? Was Tina trying to play with his intelligence? His brother was dead. He had been dead for over twenty years now. There had been no news. And he was sure his brother had died since he had searched for him for ten years. What kind of trick was Tina trying to pull?“We found him,” She added, and slowly slouched on the seat. There was sadness on the edges of her skin as if she had said something she was not meant to say. “I was sent to find you as well. That’s why I had taken the position of the waitress in the pub, knowing that you would be there at the right time.”“That’s absurd, Tina. I rarely go to that pub.” Carlos’ eyebrow
ELIXA CHAPTER 78
It was the evening of the tenth day, three weeks after they had left the arena back in Terah. The party continued to match through the world of dust and heat, hoping to get to the other side of the desert before nightfall. There was no forest as far as the eyes could see, just the dune of dust, stretching towards the horizon until they were almost touching the gray clouds. The sun kept sitting over their heads, but its heat had become soft in their touch, posing no threat to their travels. There has been a time when there were about two moons and one sun, all appearing at the same time. It had come as a surprise to Damian, even though the founders happened to be unfazed by the change at that time. According to Catherine, she had claimed that they were not on earth, and were on an undisclosed planet, whose activity affected the universe at large. Damian was finding it hard to believe, especially since they had told him his brother was he