Rainbows and Blood - Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven1

“Family”2

The fall from the window could have proved devastating to Anfel. He turned himself so that he’d get the brunt of the force – he wasn’t even sure why he did it. Maybe he felt guilty for earlier. But it didn’t come to that. Sellie managed to mutter a spell mid-air that levitated them off the ground for a few seconds before they fell down into the grass.3

Sellie stayed on Anfel for a few seconds, before rolling off and standing up. She staggered for a bit, before catching herself. The elf raised himself up, looking at the girl with concern in his eyes. “You ok?”4

She shook her head. “What do you care? You were about to kill me.”5

“It's not … it's not about you.” Anfel grimaced. Now that the battle was over, he could feel the wound on his arm acutely. From the amount of blood leaking from that sensitive spot between the armor plates he guessed it was worse than he thought. 6

Sellie looked at him. “Are you okay?” 7

“What do you care? I was about to kill you.”8

The girl sighed. “We can't stay here. Let's get to the taxi.” Anfel nodded, and followed her around the house. There was no sign of the Blood creatures – they must be inside, thought Anfel. They walked calmly across the lawn and out into the street. Sure enough, the yellow taxi still waited for them, right where they left it.9

They got inside. The driver turned to them. “Where to?”10

Anfel and Sellie looked at each other. Sellie gave the driver an address. The elf glanced at her. “Where did you tell him to take us?”11

“Just a place. A house. We can recharge there. Unless … you got a better idea?”12

Anfel shook his head. “Not for now. But I think there's only one course of action left.”13

“What?”14

“Find the Rainbows guardian. Make him help us.”15

“I thought that part of the plan was out. I mean, it looked pretty out back there in that room.”16

Anfel opened his mouth, then closed it. He felt guilty about what he had tried to do. And he very rarely felt guilty about anything. “The books speak to the guardians. They’d know how to destroy them – and they’d have to tell the him.” He glanced at her. “But don't worry, I'll make him turn you human first.”17

“Really?” Sellie folded her arms above her chest. “Sure you don't just want to kill him straight away?”18

“I didn't mean to …”19

“Oh yeah? Like you didn't mean to kill us all?”20

“This is most interesting,” the cab driver interjected. “Might I ask what this is all about?”21

“No!” answered Sellie and Anfel at the same time.22

“Okay. I'll just keep driving.”23

Anfel turned to Sellie. “I made a mistake, okay? It’ll go better with the Rainbows guardian.”24

Sellie sighed, relaxing her arms. “Anyway … I heard he died. Have they even found the new one yet?”25

“I'm banking on no. According to tradition, it’ll be revealed to the seer tomorrow. We have to talk to her. And I happen to know where she spends most of her mornings.”26

“You know her or something?”27

“She's my sister.”28

Silence fell over both of them, following that statement. Sellie just stared at Anfel. “Your sister? But … you're going to kill her too, along with everyone? Your own blood? Aren't elfs supposed to be compassionate? Strong family bonds?”29

Anfel glared at Sellie. “You don't know anything about her or me. And you don't know how the Rainbows treat Seers.”30

Sellie sunk back into her seat. “Fair enough. Your business is your business – as long as you hold up your end of the deal this time.”31

“I will.”32

The rest of the drive was silent. Finally the car pulled up to a rundown building at the edge of town. They got out, stepping into the darkness. The driver rolled down his window, and leaned out of it holding a yellow piece of paper with a number on it. “Call me, if you ever need a ride. I'll be there.”33

Anfel took the slip of paper, staring at the driver. “But why?”34

“What can I say? Elfs intrigue me.”35

Anfel’s eyes widened. It was only then that he realized he had forgotten to put up his human glamour. “You never said anything …”36

“I recognized the sword around your waist. I figured you were the same guy.”37

Sellie raised her eyebrows at the elf. “He's clever.”38

“I'll call you,” Anfel said. The man nodded, rolled down the window, and drove off. Leaving the elf and the girl to turn to the house. Sellie walked up to it and simply opened the aged door. The inside wasn't any less rundown than the outside except – cleaner, realized Anfel. No dust, no cobwebs. Plenty of rotten wood, and the furniture was broken and stained, but … someone had cleaned.39

Sellie closed the door behind him, and then indicated the house with a flourish. “You like?” She walked further into it, turning to him. “It's my home away from home. Whenever my mom is being, well, a witch, and I realize that all my friends are creatures people generally associate with nightmares, this is where I go.”40

Anfel looked around. “It's … nice. A bit far from your home to be a usual retreat though.”41

“I set up a magic portal. It's disconnected now though – haven't been powering it. Anyway, the homeless and vandals keep away. Let's just say that those who came here got quite a,” she smiled mischievously, “scare.” She went to a closet in the kitchen and got some blankets. “We'll have to sleep on the floor – sorry. But the sofas are ruined and the beds were already gone when I discovered this place.”42

“It's okay.”43

“But first.” She put the blankets on the floor in the living room, and went back to the kitchen. “I haven't got any magic supplies for a healing spell – I’d probably mess it up anyway. They're ridiculously hard, and I'm kind of spent of magic front. But,” she got a first aid kit, “some good old fashioned human medicine should work.” They made a on oasis on the floor with blankets, Anfel took off part of his plate armor, and let Sellie bandage the wound. 44

After it was done, the elf took part of the blankets, and made a bed for himself a few meters away. “I think it's best we sleep.” He took off rest of his armor, and the shirt underneath it. Noticing that Sellie was staring at his bare chest, he lay down, using more blankets as a makeshift pillow, and wrapped one around himself. 45

“Yeah.” Sellie removed her clothes – Anfel made sure he was facing away, and both of them headed into the dream world. 46

The usual dreams assaulted the elf. Blood, battles … always blood and battles. He woke up sweaty in the middle of the night. But somehow, the sight of Sellie, sleeping so peacefully just a few meters away, calmed him down and allowed him to go back to sleep. The rest of the night held no more dreams.47

He woke up in the morning to the smell of warm tortillas. Sellie had gone out and bought some. They wordlessly shared breakfast. Once finished, Anfel looked at Sellie. “I guess we should call the crazy taxi driver now.” He looked around. “Does this place even have a phone though?”48

“Nope.” Sellie waved something small and pink in front of him. “But I got a mobile.” Anfel gave her the number and she called. While they waited for him to arrive, Anfel put his armor on and redid his human glamour. They took a seat against each other, by the door, waiting for the honk. 49

Sellie eventually broke the silence. “So where we going anyway?”50

“A park, but we're going to make one stop first. Be aware, much of this plan rides on you.”51

“Me?”52

“Yep. Let's just hope that book of your mother’s has what we need.”53

Sellie looked slightly worried.54

***55

About two hours after that, Anfel walked from the taxi – parked on the edge of the park – across the grass. The trees, the green, and the leaves … this was supposed to be the elven home ground, but Anfel had always felt more at home in the city. This just seemed like another fairytale. More fraud. 56

The sun shone through the leaves, lighting the flowers all around him. But those didn't catch his eye. What he was heading towards was a young woman, sitting on a bench. He could only see her golden hair right now. He closed the distance and sat by her quietly. She was so beautiful – it pained him terribly to know what kind of life she had, and would always have, as the seer.57

“I knew you'd come.”58

Anfel glanced at her, she was dressed in a gorgeous flowing dress of the brightest white. “I know.”59

“Can I not talk you out of it?”60

“I think you know the answer to that too.”61

She sighed. “What happened to you, Anfel? You would not have done this as a child – you could never have.”62

“Life happened.”63

She turned her face to him, dark glasses obscuring her eyes. “Can't you see the beauty in the world? In us, your own kind?”64

He removed her glasses, revealing her cloudy, milky white eyes. “Can you?”65

She faced forward. “I may not be able to see – but I can still appreciate what we are. How the world needs us. How it even needs the Blood.”66

Anfel regarded the glasses, in his hands. “I remember you as a child. You had perfect eyesight.”67

“Don't … Anfel … it was an honor.”68

He could feel the tears stinging his eyes, he turned to his sister, his face reflecting the anger he felt. “They took your sight. Because of some … prophecy … some … damn story. Some man looking at the sky and interpreting signs. That's not … that should not happen.”69

“I am the seer. It is my fate.”70

“And now because of ancient rules, you can never take a lover, never have children, and never enjoy this life you see the beauty of.”71

“Don't take your frustrations with my fate and turn it on everyone … everyone you know. You must still hold some feelings for your own kind.”72

Anfel swallowed his anger, his sadness, his tears, and looked calmly at his sister. “Are you going to tell me what I came here for?”73

She paused for a moment, then she told him an address. “He’ll be there.”74

Anfel looked around him, noticing lots of glances from ordinary looking people in their direction. “They're waiting to move in, aren't they?”75

“Yes. I'm going to give the sign soon.”76

“You know I'm not really …”77

“I know. But I didn't know in my vision before. It's clever.”78

“Thank you. I've got two questions. First, why’d you give me the address?”79

“I don't know what's going to happen. But … I've got an odd feeling it was the right thing to do.”80

“For whom?”81

She just smiled. “Next question?”82

“Why haven't they found me yet? And how were they so quick to invade the underground?”83

She smiled wider, and made a hand sign. People surrounding them dropped what they were doing and immediately started walking in their direction. “Goodbye, Brother.”84

***85

Anfel got pulled back into his own body violently. Both he and Sellie breathed heavily. The illusion having disappeared, they noticed the bewildered people starting to look around. Anfel tapped the driver. “Let's go.”86

Sellie tried to catch her breath. Sweat dripped from her brow. The spell had taken a lot out of both her and Anfel. “Does that mean … ?”87

“We got the guardian’s address. Drive. And pray we get there before my kind does.”88