Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

ORO

No matter where we were as younglings it seemed we gravitated towards each other. Zura was never like the other females, if she was, I didn't notice enough about them to care. She radiated life, pure energy, strength, and she was … is my only true friend.

Zura never does anything halfway, she gives her whole heart to each, and every objective placed in front of her. Even if that meant I was the subject she was focused on. From a young age, I felt like all I did was fight against others, especially the ones who would talk unfavorably about my mother. The first real scuffle I got into the male was twice my size. Shaking my head, I remember Zura finding me later that rising, sitting behind our dwelling, hiding from my mother. My cheek was bruised, and my eye was practically swollen closed. The scene plays out in my mind.

" OrO , I have been looking for you all over, why are you sitting back here?" She gasped when I looked up at her. " You must stop this foolishness; these males are much larger than you. I understand why you feel you have to defend your mother's honor. She is a wonderful female and the Lord of Light knows she doesn't deserve the scrutiny she receives from most of the others. However , you can't beat everyone up who says a negative word about her."

" He looks worse than I do," I grumbled out. I can clearly remember the feel of her small hand as she pushed my hair off my face so she could see the swelling better.

" If your mother sees this, she will know what and how you got this. You know the fact that you're injured will bother her far more than the empty words they said, and it isn't like you can hide back here until it heals." I don't recall the answer I gave her, but I do recall her saying, " Tell her you were being an ass, and I hit you!" She tugged on the end of my braid.

Rotations and memories of our times together fly through my thoughts as this rising starts to turn into darkness. My fingers trace the bright runes on Zura's arm as my mind drifts. I can see her flushed face as we fought fake battles on the training fields. As she cheered me on at the Palace Guard Trials , I can see her jumping up and down, screaming my name out. I snarl when I recall the first time; I saw her lay a gentle hand on another Orc . Ohh , how I wanted to rip his flesh off so that her essence would not remain on him.

How she loved to intimidate other female Orcs with our friendship, especially if they showed any romantic interest in me. The secret smiles that only I seemed to get when she was up to no good. I wish she could have only known there was no other that would ever replace her in my eyes. Many times, she'd look at me a certain way and I wanted to yell out to the world how much I loved her. Yet , my mother's words were never far from my thoughts and I held my tongue.

So many times, I did everything in my power to keep her from seeing my true feelings. It was hard to hold back particularly when I saw firsthand how my actions and responses hurt her, but I was … am angry with the fact that she could never truly be mine. So , I took my anger out on her. Often , I thought I had pushed her too far, but she always came back to me with that smile on her face.

When Zura left to go to Darverius . I was sure she would never return. At first, I was almost relieved. In my ignorance, I thought that if she was gone, it might be possible for me to forget her and move on with my life, except the exact opposite occurred. Because she was so far away, the worry became all-consuming, until I could barely speak to others. The risings and darkness all started blending together after a while.

I started taking on other shifts just to have something to pass the time. One darkness, I was reviewing some security feeds when I realized I could reel them back and watch past ones. I can remember my heart hitting my chest when I finally found her in one of the files. Like a stalker, I saved as many as I could to my comm so that I could view it again later in private.

My favorite to this rising are the ones that showed her smiling up at me like we were sharing a great secret between the two of us. Her small frame standing next to mine was such a contrast that even on screen, I simply wanted to pick her up and protect her from the evils of this world.

Zura has always been beautiful to me with her pale green coloring, extremely small waist, and those perky little breasts. I loved to feel brush against my arm if she was walking close. Those large dark eyes of hers saw more than she let on, but her true emotions could always be seen in their depts if you watched closely enough. Zura's muscle definition was feminine for our kind, but her strength and extreme training shined mostly in her confidence. She was the only female I knew who was happy in her own skin. Never trying to be like the others around her.

Her arm twitches and I look down at her laying here broken, with wounds that will mar her beautiful skin for life. If I can't find a healer soon, some of these injuries could permanently hinder the warrior she has fought so fiercely to become. I can see the light leaving her and I've never felt so helpless. My own injuries have weakened me, the burns and cuts are a constant reminder of how I've failed us both.

The tremors and explosions seem to have quieted down and I groan as I force myself to my feet. Walking slowly to the entrance of the cave, I look out over the landscape. Most of the forest has been burned completely to the ground from the intense inferno. The once lush and purple leaves that flourished in this area are forever gone. It will take more Orbital rotations than I have left in this lifetime for it to ever regain its previous beauty. The pale pink waters of the Sacred Lake sit peacefully, even though the top is covered in a layer of ash. As I look out over the landscape, I can see fires still burning brightly off in the distance.

Now that the fires have abated some here. I once again contemplate whether I should stay or go. Zura needs a healer, but I don't believe she is in any shape for me to move her. A weak groan has me turning back to her.

She has started thrashing around on the small cot. Whispers leave her lips, but I can't make them out, as I try to hold her still without harming her any worse. She's caught in some type of horror in her mind. Rubbing my cheek along hers, I try to soothe her thoughts. Whispering words, I have only ever dreamed of saying to her out loud. Caught up in my own emotions, I almost miss her eyes opening.

" OrO ?"

" I'm here." Her voice is so quiet and broken I can barely hear her say my name. Blood trickles out of the corner of her mouth and I know this means that she has internal injuries, time is not on our side.

" Don't leave me."

" Never , my Zura . You need to rest so that you can get better. You are healing as we speak." Taking my hand, I wipe the stream of blood off her chin, fighting the tears forming in my eyes.

" Liar . … I'm … dying OrO … The Lord of Light came for me, but I didn't want to go until I saw you one last time."

Her words have me roaring out in anguish. " No , I forbid it!" I scream.

Slowly she reaches up, tugging on the bottom of my braid. " Live for … me … OrO , I hope you know that I have loved you always." Her hand falls as she shuts her eyes.

A sob leaves my own throat. " NO ! NO ! ZURA ! You can't leave me!" Her body seems to fold in on itself, and I can hear the death rattle in her lungs. Without a second thought of the consequences. I pick her up in my arms, sobbing as I beg her to stay with me. " Please ! I can't be in a world where you do not exist. Lord of Light , show me the way to save her. TAKE ME ! I am nothing and she is everything."

A bright light flashes in front of the cave, and a splash of bright pink water floats high into the air. The winds pick up its mist, pushing it through the air and into the cave, where it brushes against my skin lightly. Instantly where the water had landed, my skin starts to heal. I don't question it as I stand on suddenly steady legs. Pulling Zura close, I walk us back out of the cave, only hesitating a moment when my feet brush the edge of the Sacred Waters . Looking up at the heavens. " A life for a life ," I whisper and step forward.