I couldn't stop even after it dropped me and its body had turned into mush. Dead. It was dead and I killed it. The fleshhad burned, it smelled of decay and char. I grit my teeth in a feral snarl and continued to stab. It had spoken to me, saying those words...
Familiar strong arms had enclosed around my shoulders, pulling me back, holding me firmly. Murmuring soft words into my hair; Ezra. A face came into view in front of me as I was held back.
Fala...
My breathing had become rugged and harsh. All the sounds around me had become too loud to hear and a deafening sound echoed into my ear, ringing. My focus blurry as Fala spoke to me, cupping my face. The words came from her mouth, and it was so difficult to hear she was saying my name, the way her lips moved... I could tell.
“Morana,” she kept saying, over and over until I could eventually hear the echoed sounds of her voice. I stood up on my feet and shrugged off the arms holding me and pushed past Fala to look at the monster I had just slain. I compelled the fire to vanish and with a firm grip, began to pluck out the daggers that were embedded.
That day, honour was brought to the arena. Celebrations had taken place immediately after, even when the spectators looked at me in fear. I had walked out of the marquee and avoided the wet stained grass that would eventually shine brown as the sun rose in the morning, I kept walking as the sound of the cheers and celebration was a mere shadow of sounds whispering in the dark.
My insides twisted and pulled harshly, it felt as if my abdomen was filled with molten lava. I let myself fall to the ground, the sand softening the fall on my knees as I braced my hands on a thick root of a tree and began retching, coughing up blood and emptied out my stomach.
I let the light of the moon shine on my face.
My body trembled and my whole face crumpled as I brought my hands to my face and cried hoarsely.
I despised myself.
“Why torture me like this, Nocturna?”
My thoughts had ended there as I stayed on my knees, slowing down my breathing. I did not emerge from my tent for days that week. Everyone had given me space except for the healer who had come to check on my severe wounds. Fala had known what plagued my thoughts. She always knew, yet she seemed more determined to achieve greater conquests with me by her side.
"You require additional training with Dezimus. You lack impeccable skills that can be used in close combat. Today you were caught unaware, but soon you will not be. You were a champion today. You always will be," Fala had last said as she gave me my space.
For her, I'd do anything. For the performance arena... for her dream. I'd give everything.
I blinked back the memory. I now stood in front of three cliftolights. Their bodies bound, spikes cutting into thick rope that would be difficult to cut. They wouldn't escape unless we allowed it.
"I asked how did you catch them? This still does not answer my question," I say, brushing off the memories from the past and taking a calm breath. Elijah was the one who replied nervously and a bit unsure of himself.
"When scouting the area, we noticed they seemed to have been heading in the direction of camp but they were also surrounded by a field of poppy. We think they may have ingest—" Ezra immediately cut him off, earning a soft glare from Dezimus.
"Are you saying that they were knocked out from poppies? That is how you so grandly caught them?" Ezra exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, eyes wide in disbelief. I couldhave laughed at this whole ordeal. The seeds in a poppy flower let out a strong aroma when inhaled which can make a person feel lightheaded, and if ingested, it could make them lose consciousness.
"Well, we got them here. Didn't we?" Dezimus scoffed. Elijah nervously laughed and scratched his neck. I could have face palmed myself at the moment, but it was prevented when we heard some of the guards outside yelling.
"It bit my fucking ass, kill that damned snake." Ezra's eyes widened, he left immediately to get Rhey. The banter grew louder, I took a step towards the exit to see what the commotion was about, until Dezimus stopped me from doing so with a hand out.
"Elijah and I will go solve this, you on the other hand will put the sheet back over them. They have not fully awakened at their full force yet... but you're the only one who has the ability to wield the fire blades and kill their kind." Dezimus clasped my shoulder. "I trust you," he sincerely said with hard eyes.
I nodded and watched them disappear when they exited the tent. I turned toward the cliftolights, their screeches weren't as loud as before. They stared as if they were analysing me. Thick, dark saliva dripped from what I guessed was their mouth.
I took a step forward and then heard a voice. No, voices... in my head. I clenched my fists tight as I picked up the sheet.
"Morana. Morana... death. What a dark queen you are, Morana,"the cliftolight in the middle said.
"Death you say? You should know all about that as it’s the only thing your kind seems to cause," I snapped.
One of the cliftolights cocked his head to the side."We follow death. We follow you.... we speak... and talk to death itself,"the cliftolight remarked, its voice echoing in my mind.
"I am talking to death itself. You are death. The very thing that plagues this land," I almost shouted in a fury for all the havocand mayhem they had caused. Lives were lost and yet I knew I was still no better than them.
"There is always a likeness in darkness... shadows follow... death speaks. They dance... they fly... We follow the music," the cliftolights spoke in riddles. They all began to chant it. Not making any sense whatsoever.
I let out an aggravated grunt and threw the sheet over their bodies, turning around to leave the tent.
Chapter 6
