Page 69 of Return of the Darkness
Elisara
Elisara’s oldest friend, her first love, and the King of Garridon was dead. Caellum was dead. Tears filled her eyes as she held Sadira. She could have sworn she saw his final smile, the one reserved for his wife, a now widowed queen. Elisara held onto Sadira to keep her upright, not just from the grief racking her body but the trembling ground beneath their feet.
Elisara had done as the gods asked—funnelling her power into a dark tower that crashed down upon the stones. Caellum’s blood now trickled into the cracks, joined with Elisara’s tears. She had expected to feel terrified as the dark consumed her but was more terrified at the realisation it had not been her full strength. Elisara had used all her darkness’ strength, yet the well of the elements remained untouched within. The damage she could do, if she wished it, was unimaginable. It was precisely why Caligh wanted her.
The ground beneath them vibrated. Larelle and Vlad turned to the gods as Elisara focused on the queen, falling to pieces in her arms.
“Sadira,” Elisara said, trying to eliminate the croakiness in her throat. Slowly, she peeled Sadira off her to look the queen in the eye. Sadira stared back with a vacant expression. “We must leave. Something isn’t right.” The ground continued to tremble, and the taste of dust filled her mouth as stones cracked throughout the temple. “I’m going to need you to stand up so we can move his body.” Sadira’s face crumpled again, and she looked away, staring longingly at her husband.
“He never meant what he did to you,” Sadira sniffed. “Please don’t hate him in death. He never forgave himself for it. Please, take this.” Sadira slid the ring from Caellum’s right hand, where a tiny star was engraved on the inside—the ring Elisara gave Caellum all those years ago. Sadira placed it in her palm, forcing Elisara to swallow back her tears. It already felt cold, but this was not about her.
“I’d hate for him to be waiting for me over…” Sadira’s eyes widened, and before Elisara could respond, the queen rose quickly, slipping in the blood at her feet. “He said he would wait for me! He’s over there, where my grandmother was.” Elisara grabbed her arm to keep her from running. The others refused to meet Sadira’s eyes. “You don’t understand! The people of Garridon can stay if they have unfinished business. He is over there! If I can just take his body there, maybe there is a way to bring him back.” Elisara grabbed Sadira before she could rush to Caellum’s body, saving her the embarrassment of dragging her husband’s body across the floor. The two queens stumbled when the floor shook again.
“No! Please!” Sadira cried, struggling against Elisara’s hold.
Out of instinct, Elisara waved a hand to guide away the falling rocks, but still, her elemental powers did not work here. She frowned. Could she only access Sitara’s power due to its similarities with Caligh’s? The power that turned this land into a prison? Or had the gods restrained their elemental gifts? The temple wobbled then, disrupting her train of thought.
“We need to leave!” Larelle shouted over the sound of crashing rocks. She clutched Zarya and Alvan closely, who rushed inside with the others, including Soren. The land shook, as though it were furious someone had severed its tie to Novisia. Elisara’s shadows slithered within, begging to seize Soren. Elisara’s shadows tore from her body and bound Soren, keeping her still and away from Sadira with the others. They must have squeezed a little too hard as her face paled before Elisara released her to Nyzaia, she would not take Sadira’s vengeance.
“No!” Sadira shouted. “We must bring him back; there’s a way to bring him back!” Elisara winced; the pain in her back made it increasingly difficult to hold Sadira still. Sensing her pain, Vlad came over to help as Elisara glared at Soren over her shoulder. Nyzaia restrained the fallen queen, who trembled, mumbling incoherently.
Larelle looked at Nerida for an answer on how to return, and Elisara did the same, pleading with Vala to do something. Vala waved her hand, prompting the ancient mirror from the isle to descend through the hole in the temple’s roof. It drifted into the centre of the room, appearing no different from when they first entered.
“Watch for the dark one who will bring suffering to all,” Nerida said clearly, stepping towards her coffin.
“The rise of old power, the Kingdom will fall,” Keres continued. Elisara’s eyes widened. Was this the culmination of the prophecy? She thought unlocking all four elements in battle had been the end, but was breaking the lands’ tie with Novisia the true conclusion?
“Wait!” Elisara shouted. Vala swallowed as she looked at Elisara, who could have sworn tears glistened in the goddess’ eyes as she backed towards her coffin.
“Find your reflection in the ancient and say goodbye,” the goddess murmured, averting her gaze. Something was wrong. What had the gods done by making Elisara use her powers? Sadira struggled, staring at Garridon.
“Tell them!” she shouted. “Tell them I’m right—that he is there, and I can save him!” Garridon smirked and backed towards his coffin. As more rubble fell from the temple, the gods faded into nothing. Sadira sobbed into Elisara’s shoulder, who stroked her hair to calm her.
“We need to go!” Larelle shouted. The exterior walls crumbled as more rocks fell, reminiscent of the temple after the explosion.
“Are you sure?” Nyzaia asked, restraining Soren’s arms. Sorenrocked back and forth, mumbling and thrashing against Nyzaia’s grip around her chest.
“I don’t think we have a choice!” Elisara yelled. Alvan picked up Zarya and gripped Larelle’s hand before the three stepped through the mirror, hopefully returning to Novisia. Nyzaia shoved Soren through next and paused to look at Farid.
“Go!” I’ll help the commander with Sadira!” he shouted. Nyzaia hesitated but rushed through, disappearing in a blur of light.
“Help me,” Elisara mumbled to Vlad and Farid as the stitches tore in her back. Vlad took Sadira from Elisara and dragged her screaming towards the mirror.
“Bring his body! Please!” Elisara winced in pain but nodded as they disappeared through the mirror.
“Ready?” she asked Farid. He nodded, bending to pick up Caellum’s arms while Elisara grabbed his feet, feeling the last stitch rip as she walked towards the mirror. Elisara gritted her teeth and felt the air shift when they passed through the glass, sensing the warm breeze of the Neutral City from behind as she dragged Caellum’s body. She grunted through the pain, his body limp and heavy. When the earth shook, Elisara stumbled again and fell to her side with a cry.
“I’ve got you.” Vigor knelt beside her, lifting the shirt up her back. “You’re going to need stalactite water.” Elisara nodded, grateful she had at least brought Caellum’s body for Sadira. The queen’s cries reached her, but she struggled to look before giving a cry of her own as the ground shook again. Vigor and Vlad helped Elisara to stand. She had expected the mountain on the Unsanctioned Isle to crumble, too, but as she peered up at the sun shining through the hole above, she was surprised to learn they had returned to the temple ruins in the Neutral City, far from the mountain. Everything in the room looked as it had the last time she saw the ruins. She stared up at Vala’s banner, with its three mountains and stars on a backdrop of vibrant blue. As if on queue, Alvan and Larelle came running in from outside and confirmedwhat they all suspected. They were back in Novisia.
“Then why is the ground shaking?” Elisara asked. The shaking stopped abruptly then, as if the earth was listening. A figure appeared in the doorway. It was clear from the look on the man’s face he had instantly spotted Caellum’s body. Sir Cain bowed his head and rubbed his beard to compose himself.
“The ground has been shaking for fifteen minutes once a day for the last two months,” Sir Cain said. Only Sadira’s sobbing and her sister’s incoherent mumblings broke the silence.
“What did you say?” Larelle whispered.
“You’ve been gone for two months.” Sir Cain pulled out a chair from the large stone table and sat, lowering his head into his hands as he processed his king’s death. He was the only person present to answer questions. “I’ve had guards from all four realms stationed in various locations across the kingdom in case any of you appeared. I’ve stayed here to monitor the shakes daily.”
“Two months?” Nyzaia exclaimed. “Keres said time worked differently there—but TWO MONTHS!” Soren struggled against Nyzaia and eventually broke free, sprinting from the temple. “Shit,” she murmured, rushing after Soren into the city.
