The Great One, part 24

“What is your problem?” I asked loudly, as she leapt easily from one piece of rubble to the next.1

She ignored me, continuing through the ruins. Despite the annoyance I felt because of her behavior, I couldn’t help noting the agility with which she moved.2

I shook my head and focused on fuming.3

“Why do you always seem to think that I’m out to get you? I thought we went over this already!” I struggled over a block of stone. “Not once have I intentionally offended you, but you seem to take everything I do or say as an insult! Airam, you’re just a real piece of work or something—I don’t get you at all.”4

At that, she paused. Her red-gold hair glittered in the starlight as she sat on a fallen pillar, crouched, unmoving. Finally, she turned enough that I could see the right half of her face.5

“And why do you always take off at night? I mean, seriously. We’re in the middle of a forest, with Terna knows what creatures lurking about, and you STILL wander away to the middle of nowhere!” I continued, unable to stop. I was annoyed enough that I was venting about anything I could think of.6

“That’s not—“7

“Not what? Airam, why are you like this with me? You’re civilized to everyone else! Just because I’m a Naktol—“8

“Xen, stop it!” 9

“You first,” I hissed.10

Airam turned to face me and sat down abruptly where she was. She was trembling. “Fine,” she whispered.11

Minutes passed. She avoided my gaze, instead staring off at a small flowering plant that had grown up between the broken stones. I leaned back against a moss-covered wall with my arms folded, scowling. 12

For only the second time since I had known her, it struck me how frail and small she seemed, how fragile and wounded. It was shocking that this sad, beautiful girl was the same fierce Warrior I had trained with in the last few weeks. I rarely saw this side of Airam; it seemed to be a part of her that she was ashamed to show.13

She sighed. It was a painful sound. “Xen,” she began, hesitant. I waited. “There’s a lot about me that you don’t know.”14

I snorted. Obviously, I thought.15

“Please”—she looked up at me now, fixing me with a pleading expression—“just listen. Please.”16

Resisting the temptation to roll my eyes, I merely motioned for her to continue.17

“We’ve both been through a lot… a great deal of change, and a great deal of pain. I realize that. I might not act like it, Xen, but I know that you’ve suffered much since you were banished from your home. I just… my own past… it’s hard to explain.” She faltered. “I’m not sure I’m ready to share it with you just yet. Just know that if I treat you badly, I really don’t mean it. I swear—on my Warrior’s honor.”18

I searched her face, wondering if she was serious. She certainly seemed sincere to me… for the moment.19

“All right,” I said slowly. “Fine. But I would appreciate it if you at least TRIED to be a little less… petulant… around me.”20

Airam gave a nervous chuckle. 21

“But this doesn’t explain your sneaking off all the time,” I pointed out.22

“I’ll tell you eventually,” she said, sliding off her column.23

I sighed, annoyed.24

“Just be patient,” she told me.25

I made a face at her. “Don’t tell ME to be patient,” I grumbled, walking back the way I came.26

“Are you going back to camp?” asked Airam, sounding slightly alarmed. 27

I kept going. “Aren’t you?”28

There was silence behind me for a few moments before I heard the scrape of her sword; she had grabbed it off its resting place as she ran to catch up to me. “I suppose so,” she sighed.29

My crystal shard grew brighter as the foliage grew thicker, making up for the slow disappearance of the starlight above us.30

/*/*/*/*/*31

My Rattragon opened one scaly green eyelid as Airam and I snuck back into camp. It watched as we lay back down beside our supplies and tried to go to sleep, and I grew a little uneasy under its scrutiny. I relaxed a little when it finally shut its eye and began to softly snore.32

I don’t know how long I lay there. My mind was restless, making it impossible for me to fall asleep. It was immensely frustrating.33

Absently, I fingered my crystal shard. It had a soft white glow that was very comforting, as well as unusual, but I thought nothing of it at the time. It reflected off some of the leaves above my head, casting tiny white specks over everything in the camp. 34

There was so much going on around me. There was even more that actually involved me. But why me?35

My thoughts always seemed to come back to this. 36

Had Edrick never been killed, would I have gone on as I had, with my top priority being my attempts to impress Sona? Probably. I would never have learned to fight like a Warrior, learned what it meant to be a true scholar like Dowben, or learned about Zela’s plants. How could I have been satisfied without knowing what the world contained?37

I sighed heavily. The entire population of the City had no idea what rested above their heads; they still believed it to be a toxic wasteland, as we all had been taught for generations, for thousands of years, by the lying monster that led us.38

It had to end.39

Someone had to stop it.40

/*/*/*/*/*41

“Xen, wake up.” My body protested at the thought of awaking, but I opened my eyes anyway.42

Zela’s bright face was the first thing I saw. “Good morning!” she sang, wrapping her arms around me. I patted her back awkwardly, not knowing what else to do.43

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Airam shaking her head.44

“What’s all that racket?” said Lisper, his voice slurred with sleep. “And what’s to eat?”45

“You’ll be happy to know that we’re having biscuits this morning,” replied Jast, who apparently had been the first to rise. “Pinji assisted me in retrieving them from Cook’s clutches.”46

He held out a roll to me, which I took with gratitude. 47

“Who’s Pinji?” I wondered.48

“Assistant cook. She started out training as a Warrior, but her heart wasn’t in it. She took up the culinary arts instead, and she’s wonderful at it… but her work ethic annoys the world out of Cook,” giggled Zela. “She’s one of my very best friends.” She took a small bite out of her biscuit.49

“She had a lot of potential as a Warrior,” added Airam, who was looking at nothing in particular, “but she didn’t like the amount of work involved.”50

“Are you saying that Pinji is lazy?” Zela’s tone was polite, but there was a hint of defiance in it.51

“I didn’t say that at all.” Airam gave Zela a cool look. “I merely pointed out that Pinji felt unsuited for the rigorous training and dedication required of a Warrior.”52

“Are you saying—“53

“Zela,” interrupted Airam, “I am not saying anything beyond what comes out of my mouth. If you are looking for a quarrel, then I am sorry to disappoint you; I’m not interested.”54

Zela turned a bright red and stood up. “I’m going to go collect some herbs,” she said stiffly. With that, she stormed off into the trees.55

Lisper, who had been watching with some interest, turned his attention to his biscuit, which was nearly finished. Jast had been ignoring the whole thing, strapping supplies to Ursa, his Rattragon. Airam shrugged it off, also returning to her morning meal.56

I sighed. I had a feeling that Zela was expecting me to follow, with the intent of comforting her. 57

I stood, finishing off my biscuit, and went out in search of the young Healer.58