26. DAMIAN

Chapter twenty-six

DAMIAN

A s we trudged through the Forbidden Forest, Aurelia mentioned we were nearing its edge. She added that there was one more town to pass through before reaching Evler.

Aurelia slumped down to the floor, admiring berries that were a cerulean color, with flowers jutting out of them as a shell on the outside.

Before I could make another move, I thought more about the note from Tybalt. It hadn't crossed my mind since I first read it. Don't forget the body. Looking at Aurelia, she seemed innocent, na?ve, and very vulnerable. With the distraction, this would be a great time to kill her. My heart started beating faster, my breaths shallow. Why hadn't I thought of killing her before? Why now?

I wasn't a killer before, but for Sebastia, I was.

I remembered that night, the first time I met Sebastia. She was working at a local bar to help the owner, who was low on staff that week. I was getting off of work and stumbled into the bar for a quick drink to revitalize my energy and self-soothe after a long day. She was behind the bar dressed in a floral blueish-green dress. Her hair was lit up with black tendrils and shined like a lake in the moonlight. Her eyes were blue as the depths of the sea, and her skin was the color of warm chocolate cake. She was radiant. I went to talk to her, but I sheepishly fumbled over the words. "Can I drink a drink?" I asked her.

Her eyes sparked with curiosity and humor. With a smirk on her face, she asked back, "I don't know. Did your mom teach you how?"

Embarrassed, she laughed along with me. All night, she caught me glancing at her, and I saw her smile back. That was the moment I knew that I would never let her out of my life ever again. Death couldn't even stop me.

The desire was pumping through my veins…. The time was now. I could already feel Sebastia in my arms. I could have her back with me soon. The anticipation and excitement were exhilarating.

There was a hint of sorrow that snuck up and pinged at my heart. I pulled upon my desire to be with Sebastia again and quickly pulled out the dagger from my boot. It was now or never. I put my body into attack mode, ready to pounce. Inching forward slowly like a cat, I held my arms up above my head–one more step, one more second.

Aurelia would be an easy kill, but so would the dragon. I would be cursed with one of the five deadly curses, but that meant nothing compared to the need that I had for Sebastia.

Quietly stepping forward, my instincts began to rise, my hand strong in place, not a moment of hesitation.

Sebastia.

Sebastia.

Sebastia.

She was the only thing on my mind.

My grip on the knife tightened as I was only feet away, the leather handle of the dagger pressing into my palm, my knuckles turning white.

I was so close, only inches away. I could already feel her blood on the knife; I could already hear the sudden drop of her body to the ground.

Lifting my arm close to connecting the blade of my knife to her back, Aurelia jolted, standing up and staring at the sky. Her suddenness alerted me, bringing me back to the present, hiding my knife in response. She turned toward me.

"Fire by dragon," she said, eyeing the sky. Smoke billowed up toward the top, merging with the clouds. The smoke-like dark shadows brought my nightmares back, flooding my mind. The images made the blood in my body drain. The nightmare kept running in circles. Round and round.

The choice was placed in front of me. I could either kill Aurelia or go to help people placed in the same situation that my town was in. The opportunity felt like some sort of redemption from Ezu 1 . It was as if Sebastia were speaking to my soul, telling me that it was time to release the ache that had been built up for so long. To do something that I was never able to do for her. Or my parents.

She wouldn't want this. There was a reason I wasn't able to at this point. When Aurelia turned and looked at me, the moment I tried to kill her, I saw the same light in them that I saw prior. Her name. I couldn't kill knowing that she was innocent. I let her name become real.

What would Sebastia want me to do? Sebastia would want me to save her. This was also something that I needed to do for myself. Maybe it had something to do with the trauma. Maybe the nightmares will stop if I relived them. Maybe if I could do something.

I started to sprint. I could feel my chest heaving up and down, some form of guilt washing over me, giving me responsibility for this town experiencing what I had. The need and desire to do something burned my skin like a lit candle, igniting my every whim. I wished that someone would have done that for my Sebastia. Then I wouldn't be here today.

The smoke started to feel thicker in the air, rising over the trees like heat from a warm brew. We were close. I continued to sprint, my legs wanting to give out from exhaustion and the anxiety tensing in my muscles.

The embers popped between the trees. Red and orange colors flickered ahead, making the sky fill with light and smoke. The red tones intermingled with the streaks of orange and yellow in a combination of the most sickening colors.

We were close.

I could hear Aurelia running behind me, so I wasn't worried and wasn't about to slow down–not when there was something that I could do.

I reached the end of the black trees and saw the town engulfed in flames. The crackling was so loud that I recognized it immediately. Was this real? Or was this another nightmare?

Even if it was a dream, I had to help the town, even if it meant worrying about Aurelia later. But it felt like a nightmare, the moment haunting me relentlessly.

I moved toward the first houses in my vision, following the shadowed cobblestoned steps as I ran. The dark weight of the Forbidden Forest left me as I fled its boundaries, a weird coolness exiting, leaving shivers and goosebumps crawling up my skin.

The flames were crackling on the top, with some buildings starting to crumble from the damage. A towering rusted old clock held high in the town, the clock on fire, the bell clanging from side to side, waiting for the ropes to be burned to put an end to the ring.

I dashed toward the nearest house, its red bricks bearing scars of overheating, the cracked fa?ade telling tales of the blistering heat within. Leaning forward, I called out, "Is anyone in there?" Peering through the partially open door, I scanned the interior but found it deserted. Without hesitation, I hurried to the next building. My senses heightened. I listened intently for any signs of life, my eyes darting around, searching for any hint of movement or sound that might signal someone in distress.

Heading to the third house, I saw a small group of people exiting a few of the houses down the path, coughing and covering their mouths from the smoke. Was there anyone else left in the remaining homes?

I poked my head inside the third house. The bricks and stone were malleable, looking to collapse at any moment. "Hello?!" I yelled loudly so that it could be heard through the sizzling and popping of the building. Beams fell to the floor, making loud crashing sounds.

Nothing.

No noises, sounds, nothing.

Did everyone already escape? The thought of Sebastia sunk in my stomach. In order to make a difference, I had to assume there was someone left.

More people cried, screaming out in pain, the agony and grief overtaking them. However, the sounds weren't coming from the first houses on the street.

I moved down the cobblestoned path to one of the buildings at the end. There was a store, the flag from it burnt to a crisp, the metal pole the only indication of the shop.

As I reached closer, there was a whining sound. It was a small pitch, but it was there. Was it whining from the flames? Was it the material on the building collapsing? Did it sound like an animal or a person?

Nearing the open door, I shielded my eyes as some of the bricks toppled right in front of my face, clambering to the floor. "Is anyone in there?" I shouted, pausing to see if I could hear anything.

The flames danced, wildly flinging in the air. A cloud of smoke followed, shielding my vision from the inside. A continuation of the muffled cries merged with the popping embers.

Someone was in there. There had to be someone in there.

Without thinking, I went with my gut and sprinted inside the small store, grabbing my shirt to cover my mouth from the smoke. My eyes watered from the heat and fumes, my throat dry and scratchy, forcing coughs to escape my mouth.

The walls were filled with flickering flames, and I could hear rustling from the building. Parts of the walls started to crash in. I silenced myself and closed my eyes to focus on my senses, hearing the sounds.

The sound reached my ears once more, a plaintive whine that seemed to emanate from the depths of the building. Its echo reverberated louder toward the back, hinting that it came from deeper in the structure.

A counter obstructed the way, but I reached out to grab the railing for support. To my horror, the metal seared through my hand, sending a wave of broiling pain coursing through me. With a sharp cry, I quickly pressed my injured hand against my shirt, using the fabric to shield it from further harm. Ignoring the pain, I hastily hopped over the counter, eager to escape the scorching metal and prevent any further burns.

As I pivoted toward the rear of the room, I was encompassed by a large expanse. Above me, beams groaned and splintered, crashing down in a chaotic ballet of destruction, igniting further sections of brick and wood in the relentless grasp of flames.

The human whimpers grew louder. Where were they?

Looking past a pile of debris, I saw a body shriveled into a ball, frozen and unable to move any further.

Approaching the figure, I discerned that it was a woman. She wasn't moving, instead motionless and silent. With determination, I lifted her into my arms, cradling her gently as I navigated toward the exit. I jumped over large beams and ran, hopping over the counter as more of the building crumbled behind me.

The rush of wind blew past our faces as we exited the store. I was carrying her out like a doll, and took her to the middle of the cobblestone street, where I gently laid her head down first, with the back of my hand.

"Lexi? Lexi? Lexi!" a man yelled down the street. He ran up and placed his hand along her face, his clothes tattered, with a longing in his face that I had recognized. "You saved her." His head tilted to look my way. "Thank you," he said, peering from me to her.

For a moment, I could've sworn that the woman I just saved was Sebastia. Her chocolate skin and dark hair were a similar resemblance, bringing back the memories of her to my mind. I forced back a sob from escaping out of my throat.

I had relived my nightmare. But would they stop now? Was this experience the knife I needed to cut away the nightmares and pain?

The smell of coconut and the salt of the sea washed over me, reminding me of Sebastia.

As sobs shook his body, the same ones I forced down, he took the lady into his arms and cradled her until she awoke. She slowly opened her eyes, and their lips met with a yearning that I missed. With life and love that I missed inside of my non-beating heart.

He pulled her head in closer to his and held her face for a few moments.

A warm wetness trickled down my cheek, prompting me to raise my hand instinctively to wipe it away. As my fingers made contact, a sharp pang shot through my injured hand, the pain a reminder of the nightmare. The nightmare I hoped I had cut away.

1. Ezu (Eh-ooh): Heaven