"It made for one of the best shows we have ever had. We need this, the performance that we're having three days from now is going to be a big one. Haven't you seen the preparations and the number of men from Merlanis who offered to help?" I asked and hoped this would be a good enough reason for the cliftolights to be part of this show.
"We've noticed, but it doesn't mean that we should sacrifice ourselves for it, Morana. You could get terribly injured or even killed," Elijah said slowly.
Dezimus rolled his eyes and said, "When has that stopped her?"
I was growing frustrated and I of all people knew how much this arena meant to Fala, it was her dream. This was the least I could do; I’d deserve the consequences whether it be victory or death, but one thing is for certain, the cliftolights would die.
"I have already made up my mind," I said strongly, making my way towards the exit.
Ezra pulled on my arm to make me look at him. "Promise me. If it's too much, you'll call out to me and I'll help." In the performance arena, none of the other warriors was to intervene in a demonstration or a fight, it's strictly prohibited. It is only unless the warrior in the pit of the arena calls out to another in need of aid against a creature, would help be granted.
I've never done it. Asked for help.
No matter how many injuries or venom had been plunged into my body, I never asked for help. I wish I could have said it was pride, but no one was to be killed because of me. It was myfight. My battle. No one else's, but I looked into Ezra's eyes that pleaded.
"You better say yes, girl; I'll release the creatures myself right now back into the wild if it means you aren't going to ask for aid when you need it," Dezimus said, now standing upright and next to Elijah.
Dezimus was right, cliftolights aren't just creatures you catch and keep until needed. They're killed on sight, or attempted to be killed on sight...
"Okay, okay. Yes, I will," I said in a frustrated breath. Promising them something that I feared might be too risky. I would never endanger their lives, no matter what.
Dezimus held Elijah's hand in his own and both made their way out of the tent. "Come, I'll show you to them."
Ezra and I followed their lead, and I couldn't help but look at their entwined hands in front of me. Dezimus and Elijah were polar opposites and yet had completed each other like twin blades. Dezimus was the son of the performance arena's best animal tracker and hunter, he was also one of the first people I'd met when Fala took me in. He was the same then as he is now, prickly attitude, stubborn like an ass, and like a brother to me. Elijah joined the arena much later but it had taken less than a week before Elijah and Dezimus became attached to one another.
Ezra glanced at me, noticing my gaze and then made a reach for my hand, Rhey forbade the act because he slithered down his arm and looked at him pointedly.
A laugh escaped me. "I think he's hungry." As little as the snake may appear at times, his kind had quite an insatiable appetite which only grew from the time he had been a hatchling. Ezra muttered some profanities, putting Rhey down and letting him free to go hunt for a rat or family of them, this surprisingly was one of the reasons Fala let us keep him. "Come back soonand don't scare anyone," Ezra quietly warned, pointing his finger at Rhey as if he were a child.
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you both catch the cliftolights?" The question had been bothering my thoughts this whole morning.
"I do mind you asking," Dezimus gruffly said. Elijah jabbed him in the ribs which earned an annoyed sigh from Dezimus.
Summer solstice had been celebrated four nights ago and today the sun had been as strong as ever. I embraced the sun's warm touch even though I had already been feeling far too warm for my liking. The sun provided light, the one light that can bring darkness to its knees, light that shone so bright that it could burn and set everything in its way alight. This light encouraged growth and gave people a reason to wake up every morning, for the light is the reason why we exist. As many prayers and articles from the Wicked City have been told of late.
“You don’t believe that, do you?”a dark voice whispered in my mind.
We were approaching the greener side of the camp, where the tents had faded into trees that met the beginning of the forest. A much quieter area and excluded from everyone, except for the four men who stood guard in front of us.
"It's easier if I just show you how we caught them," Dezimus said with a grim face, leading us to a fairly big tent that was not as big as the training tent. A tent with enough size to hold a dozen people in a meeting room and yet a size that did not draw too much attention.
"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Ezra grumbled to his displeasure as the guards made way for us by moving aside so that Dezimus could open the tent flap. I sucked in a deep breath, acknowledging the drop in temperature around us instantly. Ezra was the first to let out an anxious breath which could beseen as mist coming from his mouth, making it seem as if it had been snowing. Out of instinct, he put an arm in front of me.
Dezimus who stood beside Elijah gave me a pointed look as if daring me to stare at the cliftolight. I brushed Ezra aside, taking a step forward, firmly keeping my palm on the blade that was strapped to my hip. The air smelt different, sweet yet subtle and as you inhaled more of it, you could almost taste it on your tongue. The scent slowly turned into something bitter.
I moved my gaze to three figures covered in drapes, moving convulsively as if in search of something. Strangled screeches were heard from those covered forms. I looked down to where the material of the drape had moved closer towards me and I crouched down slowly, reaching for it. "Don't," Ezra whispered, warmth escaping his mouth. I rolled my eyes and pulled on the blanket, disobeying him.
The blanket had now fallen and the screeches had come to an abrupt halt. I laid eyes on the creatures in front of me, losing myself to the memory of when I had first encountered its kind before.
Chapter 5
Talking to death
Cliftolights: A dark creature that had been summoned by evil years ago.
Weaknesses discovered: Undiscovered until recent death by fire blade wielder.
These creatures cannot be tamed, if it has been spotted. Run. If it has spotted you. May your everlasting soul be condemned to Riaan.
